Also, what TA orders are coming up within the next 5 years?
Any information is greatly appreciated.
http://www.wmata.com/timetables/dc/S1-2-4.pdf
They have Somerset in the wrong place on the T2 schedule.
There are only subtle changes between this model and the 2002 model Orion Vs
1. Orange/Yellow LED destination sign
2. Larger rear destination sign
3. Updated Orion Bus Logo
4. Slightly different seat Grabrails
5. Reinforced Standee Bar joints
6. Slightly different placement of certain driver controls
I spoke with a driver who had it two days in a row and he said it had better accelaration then the rest of the 300s!
The Full order is for 67 Orion V CNG coaches. The Order is expected to be completed by June.
Numbers should be 396-463
In other news Orion V 646, has finished her career with LIB
Da Hui
Is #646 gonna be thrown in the garbage like the "New Looks" and "Old Looks" back in the days?
Or are they going to auction it off on eBay or somewhere?
Any information is greatly appreciated.
Da Hui
Any information ios greatly appreciated.
Chuck Greene
Chuck Greene
Chuck Greene
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Chuck Greene
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Chuck Greene
You KNOW that bus in the movie Swordfish is a Flyer D901 model.
Da Hui
Chuck Greene
ME SPEAKE ENGLISH!
Does that answer your question?
Why do you do THIS to yourself by posting a reply like that...?
You don't like it, BEAT IT!
Da Hui
"If I wanted attention, I'd" {snip}
Title your response, "Attention"?
"...attend a few bus gatherings and trips and do some magic tricks."
Begin your magic here and now. Disappear.
"...I wanna expand my knowledge of the bus world..."
Lurch out between parked cars in front of one, preferebly an MCI via Queens Blvd during the AM rush yelling "Abra Cadabra.. I command you to stop".
As for other bustalkers, I'm sorry, but not everyone knows everything about buses, and you guys know that, although you don't act like you do. Just be glad that he's willing to learn about some things about transit. I mean, I speak from personal experience. When I first started out with transit, all I knew were a few SEPTA/WMATA/Ride-On routes, and that some SEPTA buses were from a company called Neoplan. Actually, beforehand, and I told a few people this, I thought that the TA's actually manufactored their own buses (if you took a look at SEPTA, WMATA's, and Ride-On's fleets in the early 90's, plus took notice at the fact that I was just a kid back then, you would understand.) Now, thank goodness, I know a lot more, and I think that I post some useful stuff, don't I? Or, at least, I have something to say worth listening to. I mean, we are so quick to chew people out nowadays...please don't turn out to be stuck up jerks. I mean, we are busfans after all, and we are fans of the "lowest form of human transportation". Come on, let's give him another chance, okay? Let's not immediately shun him like we did to CDTA.
Therefore...here's another chance, Boogaloo. Just try doing some research - start with the little info you have - www.transitalk.info is a great site - it has so much on so many things!
~The original Neofan - remember when everyone used to hate these?
Besides, Boogaloo, asking "DUH!!" questions such as "how can I chase a bus" and "can buses really fly" make you look bad, as people have already questioned your intelligence. You're either trying to be smart with us (and failing) or there's that remote chance you have never heard such idiomatic expressions.
THE Quote of the year on BusTalk, all from the mouth of
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
And AcelaExpress2005, don't think ur the man here...ur not in charge of this board, you're in charge of YOUR board...when i'm there, THEN u can feel like the big man, but when you're here, don't even think about it...yeah, i seen ur posts...don't think I know?
By the way, I'm not flaming against you. Before you go around attacking people, you should learn who is helping you and who isn't. THAT, my friend, will help you with being overworked and such like that. I was just trying to be the mediator, but since I'm such a smart ass, I'll just keep my mouth shut.
By the way, do you think I go around searching old postings? Only when I need to find a certain thread that I want to reply to, or to find a certain website. I don't even know how to link.
Sorry for the inconvenience of me trying to help you - it won't happen again.
Ha, you should see the BS you have posted like how to chase a bus.
Please give me a break, I am only human.
Give us a break by not posting nonsense :-\.
Look at the bBS response that you gave me to my post...
..and the fact that you actually RESONDED to it...
-F.
I, too, will miss them. We need to photo-document these buses as soon as possible!
Speaking of which, don't forget the Private Lines as well, John:
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Chuck Greene
Chuck Greene
The "Bus": Not Applicable
Corridor Transit: More applicable than The "Bus" but doesn't qualify still :p
Howard Transit: See above
Special note about ART: Last I heard, they were looking for a place to build a facility, at which time they would probably invest in something remotely bus-like.
Now for the real systems:
CUE: No word moving on the transit grapevine...their 30' Gilligs that replaced the Orion Is last year seem to be running like sewing machines...Fairfax City isn't the most hostile environment, so I guess Gilligs can survive pretty well there...the oldest buses they have are 1998s, so no replacements are due for quite a while, however they may add one or two to the fleet within the next 10 years...
DASH: Grapevine provided word of a potential of 14 new buses. Currently, no further information is available on this. Our GM has had such a stroke of bad luck this month that I've only seen her twice, and she has to get through me to get to her office! So I haven't been able to ask her. Now I'm going out on a limb here and I can hear it cracking, but three other agencies in the area are due to receive Orion VIIs in the coming years. Perhaps...?
Fairfax Connector: Contact from Herndon-Monroe P&R (grapevine) informed me that there are approximately 30 Orion VIIs being built for Fairfax Connector that will be split 50/50 to north and south County. The north county order is to replace 15 of the crappiest RTS buses (it must've been hard to choose which 15 are the worst) that were ordered in 1994 and have upwards of 450,000 miles on some units. I am pretty sure and scared that the south county order will replace the remaining Orion Is, which have seen more service this week than ever since 2001, when newer Orions began to replace them.
PRTC: 1C/Ballston has been too lazy to give us updates on their Gillig Advantage order of which word surfaced in October 2003. This order was to replace all of their mutated minivans, which will immediately be sold at auction with proceeds supporting the Little League Soccer Association... Perhaps reading this will make him realize his mistake and give him the push he needs to tell us WHAT'S GOING ON?! :p
Ride On: Orion VII second batch, possible New Flyers (is that still a rumor or fact?)
WMATA: Next order of "general service" buses will be arriving in...July says the website...we'll see...these 75 buses are gonna be CNG and will be shared by Bladensburg and Four Mile Run divisions. I think these are supposed to be New Flyers, but I'm not 1000% sure.
As usual, feel free to pick this apart and correct any errors.
WMATA: I dont know what you mean by "general service", but the next order of 175 CNG buses will be........Orion VIIs.
By "General Service" I mean..I guess the same as "General Purpose (GP)," buses that aren't specifically purchased for use on certain routes, as was the case with the Neos, Orion IIs, etc.
Let us not forget our friends in B-more who are will start received the first possible 43 of a rumored 230 New Flyer order. There is also a rumor that they might be replacing the 30 foot Flx's but no real word on that.
As for THE BUS. Umm, no comment though I overheard that they were supposed to get some form of passenger carrying vehicles in February, but there was a dispute between the government and Yellow-bellied transit.
The University of Maryland is also rumored to get some more Gilligs, New Look Terrapin should know about this.
Lastly of course we know about Frederick Transit's new Orion Vs, six of them to be exact with LEDs.
As crappy as some of Fairfax Connector's RTSs are they should ship those to THE BUS. A bad RTS is WAY better than an ODV anyday. Of course I would have to go over to THE BUS's garage to show them how to work the DAMN thing and that would take over 5 years, even with charts and graphs.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Jim D.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Da Hui
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
sorry havent been on-computer broken.
BIG AL
2. What bus is used on the TZX on saturday service?
3. Is it like an extra 40 Cents to get a transfer on TZX?
Thanks
Da Hui
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com
The best bus pic I've ever taken (IMO) is right here.
Feel free to share yours!
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Taken on the Otto Hirsch Brucken in Stuttgart, Germany
Enjoy
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
NYCMTA uses emergency flashers, too. BTW, does MBTA have any buses with LED emergency flashers? NYCMTA has LED emergency flashers on the 2003/2004 New Flyer D60HF Articulateds and the Orion VIIs.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Note: On the last pic, there is a little black spot on the top. Well that's the shadow of my finger near the lens :-P.
I hope you like them. Enjoy.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
That day back in December when a majority of us fans rode with Phil on the 720
... and of course, anything that is RTA
enjoy
© 2003-2004 Eddie A http://labusfan.net
What's the name of the garage there?
Any information is greatly appreciated.
Da Hui
At present Bee-Line (operated by Liberty Lines) has two garages in Westchester County. The main facility - and the largest - is at 475 Saw Mill River Rd in Yonkers. It takes up a big area between Saw Mill Rd and Nepperhan Avenue, near Lake Avenue. Routes 5, 8 and 30 go right past it. It's very busy, storing, fueling and cleaning about two-thirds of what (I think) is a 330 bus fleet. The facility also does both routine and heavy maintenance work on the buses. Anything needed, according to a news article I read a while back, from body work to engine rebuild. Libery Lines' corporate offices are also located there. A satelite facility was opened on the county-owned Grasslands Reservation - better known as the home of Westchester Medical Center - a few years back. This facility can store about 100 buses, does routine servicing and cleaning. It was opened to cut down on the deadheading of buses between Yonkers and northern Westchester routes.
BTW, Liberty Lines has a third yard and maintenance facility on the Yonkers riverfront, just north of the downtown Yonkers train station. This is for Liberty Lines Express. But recently I've noticed a couple dozen Bee-Line Flxs parked in the northeast corner of the yard, only it looks like they're on a dead line. Boo!!! Are they THAT old????
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
May 10: Pre-Proposal Conference: Forty Foot Transit and Suburban Bus Purchase
June 15: Proposals Due: Forty Foot Transit and Suburban Bus Purchase
Keep in mind, the lowest priced proposal is not necessarily the winning proposal. By law, NJT can include life-cycle costs (maintenance and operating expenses over 12 years) as part of the proposal. This gives Millennium (825 Nova-built RTSes) and Neoplan (the 85 artics in delivery now) the upper hand as both manufacturers have buses in the fleet already.
Personal preference would be Millennium - for the fleet consistency as much as any "fan" reason I could have. Most parts would be the same as the existing Novas, and the majority of the drivers would already be familiar with them, all but eliminating training time.
Stay tuned... the Metro Bs are officially about to be shown the door.
Yay.
Believe me, I don't think too many people down here will be sorry to see those buses retired (just so long as North Jersey doesn't get these new buses first and the South Jersey garages get the leftovers from the north).
David
David
Oh well, at least the RiverLINE's cars are the only thing working right down here.
But during peak times, when even in Westchester you get a lotta standees, it is so hard maneuvering down the aisle and so hard to find standing room on a 2-2 (where you're not bumping a seated rider with every lurch of the bus) that maybe we'd all be better off with a few less seats and more aisle room. This thought occurred to me since a) I've been doing a lot of standing on Bee-Line Orions recently and b) Saturday afternoon I found standing on a packed M16 RTS on 34th St was a whole lot easier.
Whadda ya think?
Peace,
ANDEE
Yuck, i never cared for this. The original SEPTA neoplans were close to being like this, I remember them mostly on the tripper days. The Gillig Advantange 30(or35 foot?) on PSTA does this(and it's a low floor). I don't like it.
If there's standing situations, i'd much rather have a 2-1.
Of course I have. The demo Grumman 870 for NYCTA had 2X2 seating.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
I've had the opportunity to operate the bus in passenger service. Speaking from an operational standpoint, I have mixed feelings.
The atmosphere and driver asthetics:
The driver's area isn't far removed from your basic Orion design. The rear-view mirror and destination sign keypad are both distant from the seated position. The rear-view mirror cannot be adjusted from the seated position and the sign entry is difficult to review over your left shoulder. The right-side mirror is your standard narrower rectangluar dual-electric. The wipers do not operate independently of one another. The farebox and radio are placed out-of-the-way for a change and do not inhibit right-side view thanks in-part to the low farebox platform and minimal pedestal. Just about all tell-tale panel indicators are in plain sight directly ahead, as opposed to under or to the right of the steering wheel. That's a plus. There's no safety-bar (grab bar) but there is a locking 'entry door'.
Driving the bus:
Accelleration is immediate. There's initial drive power but then just as immediately, seems to dissipate as the engine struggles to maintain minimal speed. Uphill operation was strenious, as the bus barely moved above 10 MPH on any upgrade, even with a minimal to light load. Level grade proved less-than-average accelleration. Downhill, the bus moved fine. A much better suspension than the RTS, but not quite as 'boaty' as your standard Orion. With less than 3000 miles on this particular HEV (6371), potholes and street damage were felt as the bus rattled but immediately recovered. The front doors are a bit faster than the RTS, but also include the safety lock preventing opening until the bus has stopped completely. Steering radius felt longer than the RTS and Orion, but the 'hard pull' felt more adequate than the RTS. That's also a plus. There is a bit more play in the HEV than both the standard Orion and RTS- something to get used to, as are the brakes. Immediate and abrupt stopping until I got the feel of it all.
Passenger Opinion:
A good majority seemed to enjoy the bus, although I'm guessing it's because they're new and different. Comments were both positive and negative, with a bulk of the negative comments being it seemed 'smaller' than the RTS. On the positive side, they liked the idea of having no steps to climb and the lower farebix to easily read their empty metrocards.
My opinion:
Eh. I'll let you know after they've 100,000 miles under their belts.
Any questions?
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Thanks Mom for your observation and analysis!
Ray
I haven't driven it in passenger service yet.
Bx31 # 7675
Bx31 # 1098
BIG AL
Why wouldn't it? It was delivered there new as opposed to having come from another depot (at least that's the impression I get from this thread), and even if it's just there for training it's probably gonna be there for a while, so why would it have any other decals?
BIG AL
According to UTC, MCH is supposed to get 6365-6429, and QV 6430-6494. I'm guessing that that's still the plan.
Other than Mother Hale and Queens Village no other depots have been assigned buses as yet.
Thank You
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Da Hui
Ray
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Da Hui
BIG AL
BIG AL
BIG AL
I understand QV has had the bus since last week, although this was the first I'd seen it.
BIG AL
:-)
Mark
B1-#8677-TMCRTS
Da Hui
Trevor
Let me know what y'all think. Enjoy.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Ray
P.S. Nice pic!
Allen Dicion
Toronto, Canada
www.transithub.net
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Enjoy!
Bx16 # 5271
Is tehre a standard where you're allowed to use clean air? Like the food industry governs how you may use the words low fat and fat free. If it's a hybrid bus, i assume some pollution is coming out.
I don't think there's an industry standard on the usage of the phrase, though.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
BTW, not to be a show-off, but in case no one knows yet, the Orion VIIs actually have LED reverser taillamps and I think they are the first buses in NYCT history to have LED reverser taillamps.
Is this right, Brooklyn67?
TIA.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
The top photo is best, offering a nice contrast between both Orion classes. What is the one of the left again: Orion II?
What is that route on the bus stop sign, which is associated with the "South Street Seaport" destination?
Picture below.
http://www.rgrta.com/FFfaqs.html
Pretty interesting?
*http://www.rgrta.com/BrochureMap.pdf - RGRTA is pushing too hard arent they?
http://www.rgrta.com/early_sum.pdf
http://www.rgrta.com/late_sum.pdf
Pic 2 - Santa Monica # 4801 & Metro # 7823. In the background, you can see a piece of Santa Monica # 4816 which is also on line 12. The guy in front was running late.
© Eddie A. 2004 http://labusfan.net
-MetroBus Lines 30, 31, and 305. Line 305 does not come into the transit center but rather stop nearside the intersection
-Santa Monica Big Blue Bus Lines 5, 7, Super 7, 12, and 13
© Eddie A. 2004 http://labusfan.net
GLI # 6959 was one of the 16 102DL3s that were leased to AutoBuses Latinos in Mid 2001 to Early 2002. Included in the list of leased units were GLI # 6200-6205 & 6955-6964. The AutoBuses Latinos logo remains on 6955-6964, and also the TVs that were installed on those 10 units. They peeled off the A.L. letterings on the 6200s a long time ago .... so I can only assume that maintenance is just a lil slow in getting to the 6900s
Look under my seller ID....sjh50
Also further down 91 just entering New Haven,I spotted some recently retired CT Transit MCI Classics sitting in a junkyard visible from the highway. There were about a dozen or so that I could see, I got a pic of the one that could be seen from the street. The bus I took the pic of was still in one piece, I don't know if they're going to be scrapped or just there awaiting sale.
I wish I knew how to post those pics here, but if anyone wants I can e-mail them to you.
Mark
JD
Anyways, If anyone seen the movie, the bus has a blue and yellow on white paint scehme. I was hoping that someone knew what TA it belonged to.
I had this idea for a while. What if NJT built a new, high capacity garage in the Middlesex County area? My plan called for a 200-300+ bus facility (perferably a multi-level garage). It would provide 16-17 frequent local service mostly in Union, Somerset & Middlesex Counties, 3 communter routes through Staten Island's South Shore, 2 coummuter routes in Morris County. Just think of the frequency and routes in Essex County serving Union and Middlesex Counties, (Contact me for a much detailed plan).
I know Academy has bus routes down there, but my plan would provide more frequent bus service.
Would bus service in that area survive? I need opinions.
MetroB
Thank you for that, I needed a very good laugh today. Now I gotta ask you, do you live in New Jersey? Do you live west of the mississippi? If the answer to either of these questions is no, then do you own a map? And finally if the answer to the prior question is yes, then can you tell north from south?
If so, you'd look at your map, and clearly see that Middlesex County is NOWHERE near the area generally respected to be South Jersey, which is generally respected to be Burlington, Camden, Atlantic, Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem, and Cape May counties, as well as possibly Ocean and Monmouth Counties, depending upon who you ask. Of these counties it is primarily the counties of Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester which suffer from neglect by NJT. All three counties have areas with population densities that more than warrent the kind of frequent bus service seen in North Jersey, but which recieve a pittance of that service in crowded hand-me-down buses from the Northern Jersey depots.
Adding service and building a new garage in Monmouth, Middlesex or Ocean counties would do absolutely nothing to improve the situation here in the TRUE south jersey. Indeed I find it mildly offensive that you claim that your plan would help South Jersey, when in fact all you're doing is pushing another North Jersey transit improvement (the NJT 2020 map shows like 25 for North Jersey, 5 for south jersey, I think you guys have had enough).
True transit improvements for South Jersey would come in the form of collector buses for the ACL, SNJLRT and PATCO. Also truely new (preferably Low Floor Artic) buses would be nice as well, but used North Jersey buses would be ok. I know Franklin and Egg Harbor township depots need to shape up, the Metro Bs out of Egg Harbor are disgusting, the windows are so scratched you feel as if it's a bathroom with privacy windows. As a whole the service is unreliable, with long headways and torturously winding routes. Buses on the routes actually utilized are frequently over-crowded, however headways never seem to change, nor will we ever see an artic down here. SJNLRTS is Trenton's peace offering to us, however it's easy to note that it's somewhat self-serving, and also more than a little bit of a consolation prize, compared to the transit improvements being lauded on North Jersey.
In short, South Jersey service sucks because Newark doesn't give a crap about us, and we need more of everything.
MetroB
Here are some of the things we need down here:
1]A FULL TIME 7 days a week bus route on Route 73.
My idea: a bus from Frankford Terminal to Lindenwold PATCO over the Betsy Ross Bridge, connecting at the Palmyra RiverLINE Station , down Rt. 73, over to Moorestown Mall, then down 73, Evesham Rd, White Horse Rd to Lindenwold.
2]Get rid of Burlink [Cutaway Transit] and run some REAL bus service from Beverly-Edgewater Park to Willingboro, to Burlington Center mall
3]Improve the PATCO feeder bus service. Make Rush hour headways 30 minutes or less, make off peak hedways no longer than hourly, and institure timed transfer at stations with more than one route serving the station [case in point: Haddonfield].
4] Re-route the long distance buses off Broadway [401, 402, 408, 410]
and run them express from Camden to Woodbury. Create a local route on Broadway [411/412] and run that line with 30 minute headways [alternatring between the 411 Woodbury, and 412 Glassboro], along with the other B'way buses in Camden.
5]Split the 400 and 403 lines. These bus routes are too long and are too prone to massive delays. I would split the 400 into a Philly-Blackwood local service, and a Philly-Sicklerville Express to Deptford Mall run. On the 403, I would split the line into a Philly-Lindenwold PATCO route, and a Echelon Mall-Lindenwold PATCO-Erial-Cross Keys common service.
6]Last, but not least, get articulated [or 45 footers] on the 551 and the 553. These buses are the most crowded lines [outside of the 400] in South Jersey. The 551 really gets bad in the Summer, with all of the vacationers and day trippers going to AC.
SOUTH JERSEY IS CAMDEN, BURLINGTON, GLOUCESTER, SALEM, CUMBERLAND, ATLATIC, CAPE MAY, AND MERCER COUNTY, WITH A LITTLE SLICE OF OCEAN COUNTY THROWN IN.
BETTER GET A MAP OF NEW JERSEY, AND TRY TO LOCATE THE FOLLOWING CITIES:
TRENTON (The State Capital)
CAMDEN (Hint, dumbass- LOOK FOR PHILLY)
ATLANTIC CITY (Ask Donald Trump where that city is)
I bet your asinine self cannot locate CAPE MAY on a map.
LEARN GEOGRAPHY FOR A FRIGGIN' CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Second of all I know Jersey very well and I really don't appreciate the outrageous comments you made in my response. I have lived in Jersey for all of my life (14 years old). It was a title error that I neglected to fix and I'm sorry if it confused anyone.
I would really like an apology for the outrageous comments you made. Even though I made a honest error I should be able to get the same respect just as everybody else here on this board. Thank You
MetroB
MetroB
Astro Eastern Bus Company(they had Florida service)
Express Bus service(several NJ destinations)
Vanessa Express(several NJ destinations)
What happened with these guys? Did they get bought by competitors(Coach USA, Greyhound, etc)?
This is mere speculation on my part, but I suspect the two NJ destination companies operate van service along Route 4 to Paterson. At one time, the van operations dropped off and picked up outside the GWBridge bus station but, perhaps, these two are now operating from within the terminal.
http://www.simon.com/mall/event_details.aspx?ID=114&EID=13501
The phone number listed is different from the one on the GWB site though. Why not give them a call and ask what they do?
CG
I did a search on AJ.com, which brought up another carrier, Spanish Transportation. Is this just a van service for the Fort Washington area?
I was talking more in public transit terms, but I completely agree...now, if only I could ride one of those - that and the J/E series coaches...
The 1996 NABI's has the same looking seats, LED interior display, inside outside voice, GPS tracker, GPS for the voices, something gong on with the stop request bell, etc, and according to the Daily News/Inqurier in 1996, that was state of the art(2 separate articles).
How long something stays state of the art, I don't know, but it's still not commonplace stuff yet for some reason.
I dunno what hick buses you have down in Florida, but the NFIs, Neoplan Artics and all other SEPTA buses bought after 1996 now have all the features you describe. Even the crappy little Eldorado buses have that stuff (cept the comfortable seats).
OK, I'll just tell you. The left side has 3 lights, and the right side has 4!
MetroB
From my own observations, many of the 1995 RTS's (2601-2775) have been rehabbed. Lately, I think I've seen more rehabbed than not, so it is possible more than half have been done. From the outside, you can tell by the brightness of the destination signs, the rehabbed buses having much brighter signs. On the inside, the rehabbed buses have cloth seats with the same NJT pattern as on the new Cruisers.
Acela
TAMPA - The public transit agencies in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties have struck a deal that will allow frequent bus riders to purchase a bus pass that works on both systems.
Beginning Oct. 1, riders can pay $85 for a 31-day unlimited ride pass. The board of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority approved the program Monday. Leaders of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority gave their blessing last week.
The agencies have pledged to try the program for at least a year. Further regional cooperation might follow, HARTline spokesman Ed Crawford said.
``We want to see if there's a market there,'' he said. ``You'd pay more for market research.''
Joe Humphrey <
------------------------
Yea, none of you care, but it could've been a big deal to me.
Only problem is, those cross-bay expresses don't run on weekends, 300x is made for park and ride...and I'd rather have a day pass since I work in the in the same county. :(
I guess it's not going to be a "flash" card that goes half price on the 15th of the month. That I would've bought(before I was stuck working business days taht is).
I'm assuming the pass is good on both PSTA express, and HARTline expresses too.
Gimme a daypass!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6728&item=2477203163&rd=1
It looks like it still has its 126th Street decal on it.
It looks like it still has its 126th Street decal on it.
Also saw 4262 rehabbed. Boy they must do Orions fast saw this one only 3 weeks ago.
J3 SLVR SPGS
J3 STATION
SLVR SPGS is one of the most undescriptive readings I have ever seen on a bus destination sign. Somehow, they can fit the word "MONTGOMERY" and the reading "HAVE A NICE DAY" on those signs without breaking it up, why can't they do the same for SILVER SPRING?
All the Western buses still have their old signs...
Notorious on the PRTC D4500s when they first started rolling
L2 CHEVY
L2 CHASE CIR
L2 GOOD MORNING
instead of
L2 CHEVY
L2 CHASE CIR
GOOD MORNING
J3 SLVR SPRGS
J3 GOOD EVENING
So if they can adjust the font, they should be able to show the route number and the P/R message at the same time.
Of course DelDOT's signs are programmed the best in my opinion they say almost everywhere they are going. For instance if the a DelDOT bus was on the A12, it would read:
A12 CAPITAL PLAZA
A12 LANDOVER STA
A12 PG HOSPITAL
Instead of A12-Capital Plaza or A12 Capital Plaza, then A12 via Landover Station.
My hope is WMATA does what Ride-On did. When the 2001-2002 Orion Vs first came in, they did not stack text and the messages were extremely slow to flip. For example, on a code red day, the TwinVisions would go through this sequence:
46 MONTGOMERY
46 COLLEGE/
46 ROCKVILLE
CODE RED
RIDE FREE
and it took forever. Then, starting with the reprogramming of the 47 signs to say VIA MONTGOMERY MALL stacked and shortly after, everything else, the signs came to their current readings, though for some routes, the sign says MONT. MALL and some say MONTGOMERY MALL.
Another interesting thing about the Ride-On TwinVisions is that on the 33 and 36 "via" readings, they leave off the route number:
36 BETHESDA
VIA HILLANDALE ROAD
33 GLENMONT
VIA MEDICAL CTR
Michael
Washington, DC
Keep up the good work!
I'll have to get you guys a tour of the place once we get all our new buses in!
Metro Direct to Potomac Mills to Cross County Connector then Metro Direct to West Falls Church.
Jeff Mills fanatic W
Further information is greatly appreciated.
Further information is greatly appreciated.
Peace,
ANDEE
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
BIG AL
The train was built here in town by Norfolk and Western Railway (now Norfolk Southern) and was one of the railroad's last steamers. It used to go on excursions but has sadly been sitting in the Virginia Museum of Transportation as a stationary exhibit for almost 10 years. More sadly, the Grummans went on to a less attractive paint scheme and were retired in 1994 to make us an all-Gillig fleet.
Come to think of it, I should try to snap a pic of that photo and post it here. It's a BEAUTIFUL shot for bus and train fans.
-F.
Can I get a hint on why the food court is so good to railfans?
The Advantages should be rolling in around October from what I understand.
Starting at 8am at Greenbelt:
8am B30 arrive at BWI 8:30am
LRS to Patapsco(light rail shuttle)
9:00am MTA 17 arrive back at BWI at 9:36
9:39 am Howard Transit Red Express arrive at Arundel Mills 9:53am
small break
10:34am Corridor Transit Route J arrive at Laurel Centre Mall at 10:53am
11:00am Corridor Transit Route G Arrive at College park at 11:34am
11:40am THE BUS 17 arrive at Langley Park around 12:06pm
12:10pm Ride On 15, arrive at Silver Spring around 12:29pm
12:34 S4 arrive downtown around 1:16pm
lunch
Starting again from Farragut Square:
1:46 38B arrive at Ballston at 2:28
3:20 ART 52, arrive at East Falls Church 3:45
4:00pm George 26E arrive back at EFC around 4:17
Metrorail to Vienna
4:50 CUE Green 1, arrive at GMU 5:22
5:39pm 17A to Landmark arrive at 6:26pm
6:35pm DASH AT5 arrive at Van Dorn 6:48
7:07pm Fairfax Connector 109, arrive at Springfield Franconia 7:28
Last trip is 7:30pm PRTC Metro Direct and arrive back at Springfield at 8:25pm.
Of course trip times and intinerary might change. The date for the trip is July 1st. Hope you can come. We might try to get a quick trip on the U of MD shuttle.
MetroB
Rust In Peace 3000-3131.
Give the last rites to 3132-3251.
GET YOUR LAST RIDES ON THESE BABIES SOON!
3200...it was awesome taking you back to my old school when I visited, and it was great seeing you with that bilevel sign, which then became LED...
3201...you were quite the screamin neo...you too, 3298, along with 3036, etc.
It's very sad to have to say goodbye to all of these buses...I only saw one DK the other day...I think it was 3008.
All in all, as many people bash against the 23 for it being dieselized, I am thankful it was...if it wasn't, I would have never been able to ride those DKs to the end of their lives...
I read on trab's site that they were planning on moving the remaining EBs to Southern? I hope not...they did kill 3414 after all..maybe comly would be a better place, but I'd rather them stay at Midvale.
On a better note, more Fords are dissapearing and the Champions have moved in to Germantown - just saw 2089 returning back to home base along with 4504 yesterday.
I just hope these replacements are worth it...
Mark
-HARTline Flxible Metro magnet
-1995 Virginia Transit Roadeo lapel pin
-DASH Token w/embossed Orion I illustration
-23 Year Safe Driver pin
-Gillig coffee mug
-RTS Slopeback Micro Machine
The latter is a Buy It Now item; that deal gives you free shipping, and a second micro RTS for free. Happy Bidding!
Sincerely,
Fred Donaher
eBay ID: flxible
Ebay ID: caseystengel
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Here's a picture I took....
enjoy!
Dave
I own a Metro 35096 of that year (build date 2/90) that is formerly from Huntington, WV and it still has the slanted interior A/C panel. However, our local transit museum has a Metro 35096 (same year, but built 8/90) has a rear A/C panel that is straight at a 90-degree angle. However, the outside rear panel is still 85 degree slanted like my Huntington bus. Is mine a B, and the Richmond a C?
Please let me know so I will be informed. Any input is welcome!
-Fred
METRO B (1987-1991):
Again take your average METRO design, slanted rear exterior. However around 1989 they began offering a 90 degree interior wall to adapt to a change in a Carrier HVAC design. Also the newer Bigger Sliding Operators window began use.
METRO C (1992 ONLY):
METRO B like EXCEPT, the use of roof mount HVAC started as per customer request. The use of the thicker framed Excel Windows began and also the use of the newer driver's stanchion/partion and the loss of the driver's platform began. Also new ergonomic side drivers control panel began use.
METRO D (Late 1992-1994):
Start of the newer 90 Degree Rear Bulkhead, lengthening of driver's area, more use of the roof monuted HVAC system even though the rear mount was still offered. Newer back door glass which was more streamlined with the base of the Excel Windows.
METRO E (1995-End Of Production):
Twin to the METRO D except no use of Roof Mounted HVACs.
Hope This Helps
Regards,
Trevor Logan
www.transitalk.info
Q88 service resumes regular route (via 94th Street -> 57th Avenue -> 92nd Street) on May 16th.
Queens Blvd, before the Burger King and in front of that community center place?
Yeah, there was a route change, due to construction at Queens Center Mall (There is now a bridge over 92nd Street connecting the original mall with the newly opened mall expansion). Westbound buses took the following route:
On H. Harding to Junction
Left on Junction
Right on 62 Dr
Right on Queens Blvd. Stop at 62 Dr
Stop on Queens Blvd @ 59 Av in front of Woodhaven Blvd subway entrance
(Later changed to on 59 Avenue in front of the McDonald's.
Relay
Eastbound: Start mid-block 59 Av between Queens Blvd & 92 St
Straight on 59 Av past 92 St to regular route.
Yes, this did lead to buses in both directions (to Queens Village and to Queens Boulevard) to run south along Junction Boulevard under the Long Island Expressway.
And yes, that picture is near the Burger King and the Community Center Place. It's actually in front of the AT&T building at 62nd Drive.
Bx31 # 1104
Bx31 # 1097
Bx31 # 7687
Bx41 # 5691
Bx31 # 7687
Da Hui
WHY does it matter? The passengers don't care about bus number sequencing - all they want is a bus.
The real question is: Should 7722 be kept out of service until 7691 through 7721 are on the property? The real answer is: No!
B1-#9316-NOVABUS
B64-#9310-NOVABUS
by the way, did see #9228 on the B3.
BIG AL
Here's a interior photo taken by ryan lock
I see that you were able to catch an Acela express train that "walked right into the picture" in the background. :-)
Yes, the powetrain is Cummmins C8.3 to Allison B400R. Something also tells me that all of the buses that each regional TA has in Connecticut (D35LFs and D40LFs, as well as the CT Transit units) were actually bought from one single big purchase by ConnDOT, with the buses being assigned to the various outfits.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
How do you get to Trumbull? Through Long Island first!
I hopped on the L 5701 (?) and took that to Chestnut Hill, where I decided to take the 77. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a Neoplan, but fortunately, it turned out to be a Neo suburbo (3374)! It was nice and comfy - it felt like riding a Victory route. Surprisingly, the bus filled up, but it was the most tedious bus ride ever - stop and go for an hour! The good thing is that I saw my first 80 bus which was operating an overhaul (7215) with the "black" bellows - hot! Also, I saw 70 buses in service - what a NABI route!
At Roosevelt Mall, I missed a 1, missed a 14, but caught the 20 a minute later (5583?) back to Frankford.
I was hoping to get a trackless, but of course, they were still dieselized. However, I saw 846 parked at the terminal, looking as ancient as ever! I liked the new LED signs at each berth of the terminal, as well as that big metal box with schedules and for change - the bathroom looks like crap because of the vandals, though.
I saw two ZFers (5766 and 5753) and I was going to take the 8 back to Olney, but I was in a ZFer mood, so I took the 25, which operated 5753, back to Penns Landing.
On the way, I saw an artic on the 54, and discovered that the 89 ran from Midvale (it was operating ZFer 5715).
once in philly, I decided to try out the river line, so I took the MFL to 8th st to get the PATCO across the river, my first time...
More details next time...stay tuned for part 2. See why NJT made me oh so bitter.
Now, as I walked back form the terminal, refusing to wait for hte next train out, I hoped to catch a bus back to the Trans. Center (I was hoping I could use my ticket, because I have no idea WHAT NJT's fares are). Let me just say I didn't see ONE bus stop ANYWHERE! I saw one bus that stopped at the light, but I didn't see a bus stop to get on it, and then another bus flew by me on the left hand side of the street...I was rather irritated. Those were the only two buses nearby I saw, and both were RTSs...
I was more than happy to return to SEPTA land with my free rides, but was angry to find out that the Gallery closes at 8:00. Of course, I was hungry and needed to use the facilities, so I had to go to the Greyhound station to do that...but the food is way overpriced.
I got on 7193 on the 33...my oh my, that bus is fast (for a big neo). It was a fun ride. After finding the only store in Philly that was open selling food, a 7 Eleven, I hopped on the 27 back home, hoping that I would get back to the mall in time for the 95. It was close, but we beat that little Champion, 2084.
More adventures for tomorrow...
Well, the 77 was detoured to Rices Mill Rd due to something going on Glenside Ave. Therefore, it ran down on of those neighborhood streets where you have to swerve around traffic and everything.
Also, the 27 artic I rode was very fast on the highway, flying by cars and whatnot (except for those 80mph speeders). A nice ride that helped me catch my Champion.
B7-#5227-NOVABUS
B100-#4978-TMCRTS-ex NYC bus #8398
David
As far as this "anything can, will, might happen" nonsense, "anything" cannot happen. There are contractual agreements, civil service law and current legislation that prevent "anything" or "everything" from happening. Sit tight, folks.
Thank you.
There are a few things that are characteristic of MTA NYCT operations. These things will not change and therefore, one can define broad parameters in which events will take place. I am also of the belief that anything cannot happen, although a lot CAN happen.
TWU Local 100 (as well as the other unions) would be wise to make sure that they go about this process the right way. It is one thing to ensure a minimum amount of work as well as fair work rules. However, the drivers nor any union own their routes and Local 100 will break itself if it barks up that tree. I don't believe that drivers care what route they operate as long as it is close to home and they are receiving quality pay and benefits. The takeover deck is clearly stacked against the unions, since the MTA and New York City has boxed the unions involved into a 60-day period of digging for details.
One interesting detail: MTA workers can't strike (technically), but private workers can. If the MTA is to honor existing agreements until new ones can be negotiated, wouldn't that allow this new division to strike pending a new agreement?
Actually, "technically" we can strike. "Legally" we cannot :-) We may be speaking more about that in the near future. Perhaps not. After all, anything can happen...
If the MTA is to honor existing agreements until new ones can be negotiated, wouldn't that allow this new division to strike pending a new agreement?
Good question. Too involved for me to answer without some research. IIRC, when OA was involved in the strike talks of contracts last, they too were issued the restraining order under the Guiliani administration. As an extended arm of a state agency run by the city, not withstanding non-civil-service status entitlements, they too were to conform to the mandate or face penalty (or so it was declared/observed without judicial review). I don't see how this situation would differ. I could be wrong. I don't know.
I agree that it would be in the best interest of DOT and the "privates" for NYCT to scrape off the company and DOT information from the buses on Day 1 (and it probably will happen) and replace it with MTA/NYCT logos, but that doesn't require repainting the bus, at least not at the outset. Eventually, I would wager, the oldest buses will be replaced with buses delivered in the NYCT scheme and those not being replaced immediately will be painted into the NYCT scheme over a period of months or even years.
David
David, please. We haven't had a negotiated contract since 1994. All contracts since 1994 have been MOU addendum to the 1994 base. When you speak of MOU, please remember that NO MOU can violate civil service law, contradict current legislation or create disparity between conjoining entities. Enough.
Secondly, this notion of "anything can happen" couldn't be further from reality based in part by what I'd stated above, in addition to the fact that every involved union has taken a stance against much of the platform outline disclosed by the MTA thus far. This includes the entire concept of Regional Bus itself.
So please. While it's true that there are (what seem to appear to us) an infinite number of possibilities, simply passing off the notion that "anything can happen" based on the fact that the MTA wishes it so is ludicrous. I'm telling you here and now, this is one hand they had better think twice about before they present a situation in which they cannot control.
I agree that it would be in the best interest of DOT and the "privates" for NYCT to scrape off the company and DOT information from the buses on Day 1 (and it probably will happen) and replace it with MTA/NYCT logos, but that doesn't require repainting the bus, at least not at the outset.
I don't believe I indicated that buses would be painted at all. I believe I stated that all buses would eventually be striped in blue, preferably as soon as practical.
Eventually, I would wager, the oldest buses will be replaced with buses delivered in the NYCT scheme and those not being replaced immediately will be painted into the NYCT scheme over a period of months or even years.
Interim/immedtaite plans call for adhesive blue striping.
As for adhesive blue stripes, it sounds plausible to me -- doesn't mean it will happen. Was the blue striping mentioned on an official NYCT memorandum?
David
What's the point of that? The passengers won't care which buses are owned by NYCT and which ones are owned by DOT but leased to NYCT. All they want is a bus. Having different buses painted differently based solely on who used to run them (presumably at all times and at all costs) is, at best, a silly and confusing waste of money.
A different take on the current paint scheme would be okay. I don't exactly want them to keep the old colors (at least not anymore.)
Beyond that, what about the buses that cross borough lines? What color would the Q44 be painted, or the B24, or the M60? What about the Q32, which has Queens Division buses and Manhattan Division buses?
"New York City Transit Authority" has become simply, and most generically, "New York City Bus".
I was also wondering, does the rule that applis to national companies like Greyhound, that they have to keep the livery of buses acquired in a takeover for 5 years? In practice, Greyhound simply retained the number of buses in the old liveries, painting former Trailways Eagles like Greyounds, but then having to paint a number of their old MC-9's as Trailways. In '92, when I went down to Key West, you had a bunch of these 7000's Eagles, that were then painted yellow, from some Texas company that was bought out.
So I was wondering if they would begin swapping the buses between current MTS and the privates, so you could see Classics on the Manhattan express routes out of Quill, for example. Already, some old RTS's are supposed to go to the former DOT garages.
What eventually happened after the MABSTOA takeover was:
-All 5th Ave. and Surface buses that were retained were repainted in TA colors (took at least two years).
-One Surface Garage, 126th St., became a TA garage.
-One 5th Ave. garage, 76th St//Northern Blvd. in Jackson Heights, was not retained.
Because 5th Ave. and Surface Transit had different seniority lists and garages, the first big change was the merging of garage assignments and seniority lists (about a year later, in 1963).
A big difference this time will be that there will be many opportunities for route mergers and modifications in Queens.
A big problem is that logistically speaking, Jamaica Depot is falling apart at the seams and is already running over-capacity. Both QV and CS have limited real estate to expand upon, but the problem of dual-union under one house poses huge problems.
Also what are the air pollution (EPA) considerations from all the auto fumes seeping into the building for the cleaners, mechanics and office people to inhale.
Lastly and most importantly HOW MUCH DINERO TO BUILD THE DAMN THING ?
There shouldn't be any problem. Any Classic built for U.S. service after 1990 is lift-equipped. Rochester's Regional Transit Service operates suburban Classics equipped with lifts.
Jim D.
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Thats my opinion
Thank You
With respect to "anything can happen", unless the Coopers, specifically Jerome permit the MTA to operate from their depots by coming to an agreement, "it ain't gonna happen".
I'm confident, once the Coopers see a number within their ballpark, they'll gladly give up the locations in favor of piles of green. I'm not so confident that the MTA will offer that number anytime soon, however. We'll see. This agency is notoriously known for their 11th hour decisions and agreements.
Back in the 70's SEPTA had two sets of 200 series and 300 series vehicles. The CTD 200 series [201-65] were the Brill Trackless Trolleys, and the 300 series [301-43] were the Marmon Herrington Trolleys. The Red Arrow 200's were 200-211 Fishbowls, and the 300's were the 1972 Flxible 40 footers [300-24], and 35 footers [335-359](Originally Flxible delivered 10 40 footers 325-34. They were swapped with 6285-6294 because that group had soft seats, and the 325-34 buses had hard seats. Those 325-34 buses were re-numbered 6285-94, but the ex-6200's simply had their 6 removed, and the buses lived their days as 285-94). Getting back on track, SEPTA had those two duplicate numbers until 1980, when the Brill/Marmon trackless trolleys were replaced by the AM General Trolleys.
Will the MTA have two or three different sets of fleet numbers? Will they try to fir the bus numbers in their current scheme somehow by using numbers series vacated by retired buses? Will these buses be grouped by manufacturer [RTS, Orion, MCI Classics, Fishbowls]?
2) There are just over 1200 buses involved. They fit nicely in the 2000 and low 3000 series.
3) A much more pressing question is where will these buses sleep?
Not really, since 2000-2209 and 2705-2924 are used by MCI coaches.
Group the MCI Classics in this number group [2501-2799]
Group the RTS in this series [3000-3500- mostly all of the RTS buses built since 1990. Any RTS buses built before '90 should be scrapped, and replaced with existing TA buses]
Group the Orions in the 1201-1800 series with the non-CNG buses in the 1200 series, and the CNG buses starting with 1301-1800.
MSBA is also under the MTA umbrella. It's all Orion V, and every one of their bus numbers is duplicated by an NYCTA Orion V. If a new "QuSTOA" agency is being created to handle the privates, as has been rumored here, it can have its own numbering system, too.
Or, they could be squeezed into missing blocks in the TA numbering scheme, or five digit numbers, or letters...
O_o
David
We shall see!
With some gaps for retired or transferred buses,
357-380: Command 1985 RTSes & Queens Surface 1993 RTSes
421-481: Command Classics & Queens Surface Orions
517-530, 568-581: Jamaica 1985-6 RTSes & Queens Surface Orions
602-608: Jamaica Classics & Green 1986 RTSes
640-655: Green & Triboro 1985-6 RTSes
701-716: Green Classics & Triboro 1986 RTSes
719-722: Green Orions & Triboro 1986 RTSes
3001-3071: Liberty Lines Classics & Triboro Orions
(Agreement between New York City and MTA)
• Express and local bus service the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn currently provided by the private operators will be transferred to the MTA by July 1. 2004. The existing franchise agreements with the private operators expire on June 30, 2004.
• The MTA will be responsible for all aspects of service delivery. The City will pay the MTA the difference between the actual cost of operation, and all revenues, including subsidies, fares and advertising. This arrangement will allow the City to gain the advantage of all efficiencies generated by the consolidation while insuring that the remainder of the MTA’ s customers do not shoulder the subsidized portion of the costs of operation. The City and MTA commit that the same service standards applicable Citywide will be used to adjust service to these neighborhoods subject to the availability of equipment and personnel.
• The City will lease all its bus-related assets to the MTA including approximately 440 new buses that are currently being purchased and the two bus depots that are owned by the City. At the City’s request, the MTA will propose an amendment to its 2000-2004 Capital Plan to set aside a $322.5 million reserve that will be funded from monies currently allocated to the La Guardia subway extension but no longer slated for this project. This reserve will be utilized for the costs associated with additional fleet replacement, facilities and other necessary capital improvements for the assumed service.
• To ensure a seamless transition of service — the City will begin immediate efforts to negotiate “wind-down” agreements with the existing private operators and a joint City/MTA Task Force will be established to address legal and operational concerns. The City will be responsible for providing any additional assets necessary for the successful assumption of service to the MTA. The MTA will work jointly with the City to facilitate these issues and make best efforts to develop alternative solutions where feasible.
• The MTA will assume all union employees and will honor existing collective bargaining agreements and collective bargaining obligations until new agreements are negotiated. To effect this, the parties plan to meet with the unions in the near future.
• The MTA does not assume any preexisting liabilities, such as worker’s compensation, tort claims, environmental remediation and pension obligations. Any severance or other obligations created by virtue of the assumption of the service or the cessation of service by the private operators will not be borne by the MTA. MTA and the City will work cooperatively to insure that any such liabilities and obligations are mitigated to the maximum extent practicable.
• As part of this overall agreement, the City will support the MTA Capital Plan Amendments, including the accelerated purchase of new Metro North Railroad cars; provided however, the preexisting split between the Transit Authority and the Commuter Railroads will be restored in the MTA’s next capital program by allocating the costs of the accelerated Metro North car purchase to the Commuter Railroad portion of the next Capital Program as if it was part of the next Capital Program.
• The transfer requires State Legislative action to:
1) Create the MTA Regional Bus Company to facilitate the consolidation of the private bus operations into the MTA;
2) Redirect currently provided State operating assistance from the City to the MTA;
3) Pass the Capital Plan amendments and commit to restoring the preexisting Capital Plan allocation between the Transit Authority and the Commuter Railroads in the MTA’s next program as provided above;
4) approve setting aside the bus reserve in the MTA’s 2000-2004 Capital Program.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
David
Mark
Orion V 6090 - M60
Nova RTS 5031 - M104
NFI D60HF 5442 - Bx1 Limited
Orion VII 7667 - Bx36
NFI C40LF 953 - B61
Nova RTS 9534 - B39
Orion V 252 - Bx2 Limited
GMDD T8H-5308A 1500 - BxM9
NFI D60HF 5285 - Bx40
I covered lots of ground here. As you can guess I rode the subway quite a bit too between some of these buses. It was a great day of riding. Around 7:00 PM I was at 34th/6th about head down to the Bway-BMT for a ride to PABT when Orion VII Hybrid #6368 showed up on the M7 as a nice little bonus. Sounds a bit strange, but no complaints. Then I got Greyhound G4500 #7161 back to DC. Nice ride although there was some fool on the bus talking about NYC when it was clear that he had no idea what he was talking about.
Nice that you got your Fishbowl ride too!
B1-#4677-TMC
B16-#590-Orion V CNG
BTW, how was your PR trip?
MetroB
You'll still be able to see the museum fleet of buses & watch some of the Rodeo.
ALSO the sea plane museum is in a hangar right next door. That was icing on the cake for me.
I'm not much of a bus fan (I only work for a bus company), but I did enjoy the event.
If you absolutely have to get there by bus, don't make the mistake I made in '02 by getting off the 35 right before the bridge toll. It's an out-of-the way trek of more than a mile, and murderous on a hot day. Instead, get off the stop before by the Gateway Community Center (ring the bell when crossing the parkway overpass). You have to CAREFULLY cross Flatbush Avenue where there's no light and often speeding traffic. After you pass the Center, walk straight past some model airplane fields and down a long roadway. Eventually, you'll see a hangar on the right. The Roadeo is right behind it.
The hangar has all kinds of fascinating war-era aircraft in various stages of renovation. It's only open on Saturdays as far as I know. Last year there was a model train show going on inside as well. It made going there in a driving rainstorm worthwhile.
Da Hui
Dave
Dave
Da Hui
--Acela
--Acela
Da Hui
Da Hui
Dave
I take it that the windows on these things dont even open though, or is that the part that opens up there on the top of the window?
Which is the model that the windows open side to side? Those are the best, IMO.
I believe this is what you meant by side to side windows. As far as the actual manufacturer of the window, I don't know who it is, but the company that makes the handles to grab when opening the windows is Xcel.
I like the side to side windows cuz I love the wind in my face. It's sometimes the only thing that keeps me awake.
That's a BEAUTIFUL orange LED sign!
N23 Mineola via Harbor Rd
The inside sign/announcements had the new stops on this service. Like I said, this is the only time I've ever seen it. Anyone know why it's taking so long for them to get all the buses programmed with this route info? Does it really take that long?(I know they use satellite GPS system for the stop announcements, or so I've been told).
What really confuses me is today I took this bus home from school. It didn't have the Harbor Rd stop list, but it did have the new stop in the system at Shore Rd and George St. Doesn't make sense to me cuz this stop was added not even one week before the Harbor Rd service started.
Just so ya know, I'm not bitchin or nothin, I'm just wondering why it's taking so long and if anyone knows when the programming might be complete.
When I change my seat, I have the SENSE to open the one that wasn't jammed shut, getting a nice breeze. We have a good crowd and we let a W/C off at Jersey St then we finish the ride at St. George then catch the SI Ferry to go to Manhattan. I catch a couple of pics of the buses by South Ferry then I see brand new 6375 running on the M1 LTD so I run to the next stop and it was a pleasant and quick ride along the way and I get off at 57 St then take some more pics and then I head west on the M31 and ride to 7 Av where I take the N for the first time since the bridge opening to Pacific St and backtrack to Dekalb for some food. Then I take 8116 on the B52 to the last stop then I hop on 5122 on the B41 LTD and its a ok ride via Flatbush Av then I catch the B8 and finish my trip.
Some observations:
-Saw 4809 on the S78
-Saw 121,123,125-128,131 & 162 on Castleton local routes; mainly the S52 but 162 was on the S78
NF 845 B8
O5 6205 S53
05 127 S52
O7 6375 M1 LTD
RTS 8454 M31
R68 2849 (N)
R46 5523 (R)
RTS 8116 B52
RTS 5122 B41 LTD
NF 892 B8
Any information is greatly appreciated.
Detroit Diesel 6V92/Allision HT740 combo:
-AC Transit 1982 Neoplan AN440's
-AC Transit 1982 and 84 Gillig Phantoms
-Samtrans 1982 and 84 Phantoms
-Sacramento RT 1982 Gillig Phantoms
-Fairfield Flyer 1982 and 85 Gillig Phantoms
-Union City Transit 1982 Gillig Phantoms
Detroit Diesel 6V92/Allision HT748 combo:
-AC Transit 1989 New Flyer high floors
-SF Muni 1989 New Flyer D40's
-SF Muni 1991 New Flyer D60's
-Union City Transit 1989 Gillig Phantoms
-Samtrans 1990 New Flyer D60's
-Samtrans 1990 and 93 Gillig Phantoms
-Greyhound 1992-97 MCI MC-12's
Detroit Diesel 6V92/ZF-ECOMAT HP500 combo:
-Sacramento RT 1985 Gillig Phantoms
-YoloBUS 1985 Gillig Phantoms
-Golden Gate Transit 1990/91 TMC RTS's
Detroit Diesel 6V92/Allision V731 combo:
-Santa Clara Co. Transit 1981 Grumman 870's
-Santa Clara Co. Transit 1984 Flxible Metros
Detroit Diesel 6V92/Voith D863 combo:
-AC Transit 1990, 91 and 93 Gillig Phantoms
-Sacramento 1990 Gillig Phantoms
Detroit Diesel series 50/Allision B400R combo:
-AC Transit 1997 NABI 416's
-County Connection 1996 Gillig Phantoms
-YoloBUS 2001 NABI CNG 40LFW
-Union City Transit 1996 and 99 Gillig Phantoms
-Union City Transit 2001 CNG Orion V's
-Tridelta 1995-2001 Gillig Phantoms
-Sonoma County Transit 1996-2000 CNG Orion V's
-Greyhound 1998 MCI MC-12's
Detroit Diesel serie 50/Allision B500R combo:
-AC Transit 1996 New Flyer D60's
-Greyhound 1998 MCI 102L3's
Cummins 903/Allision V730 combo:
-Samtrans 1980 Flyer D900's
-Samtrans 1981 Flyer D901's
-AC Transit 1981 Flyer D901's
Cummins Cummins LT10/Voith D863 combo:
-VTA 1986 and 1990 Flxible Metros
-Folsom Stage Line 1991 Flxible metros
Cummins L10G/ZF-ECOMAT HP590 conbo:
-Sacramento RT 1993-96 CNG Orion V's
-YoloBUS 1993-96 GNG Orion V's
-Monterey-Salinas Transit 1996 CNG Orion V's
Cummins ISC/ZF-ECOMAT HP592 combo:
-Sacramento RT 2003CNG Orion VII's
-YoloBUS CNG 2003 Orion VII's
Cummins ISM or M11/Allision B400R combo:
-VTA 1997-99 Gillig Phantoms
-Samtrans 1998 Gillig Phantoms
-San Joaquin Regional Transit District 1999 Gillig Phantoms
-Monterey-Salinas Transit 2000 and 04 Gillig Phantoms
-AC Transit 1998 NABI 416's
-AC Transit 2000 and 03 NABI 40LFW's
-SF Muni 2001-02 Neoplan AN440's
There's a few more, but I'll call it a day.
An inspiration to compile my own list, but not now i'm sleepy.
Allen Dicion
Toronto, Canada
www.transithub.net
Cummins C8.3 w/Allison B400R
Grand River Transit (1997) Novabus LFS
Cummins ISB w/Allison AT545
Pearson Int'l Airport (YYZ) Shuttle Thomas SLF 230
YRT Thomas SLF 230
Cummins ISB w/Allison B300R
YRT Thomas SLF 235
Cummins ISB w/BAE Systems HybriDrive
Orion/BAE VII hybrid demonstrator
Cummins ISC w/Allison B400R
Grand River Transit (1999) Novabus LFS
Burlington Transit New Flyer D40i (Invero)
Cummins ISC w/Voith D864
Brampton Transit New Flyer 02XX D40LFs
Oakville Transit Orion VII
Cummins ISL w/Voith D864
Brampton Transit New Flyer 03XX D40LFs
Cummins ISM w/Allison B400R
York Region Transit 30X Orion Vs
Cummins ISM w/Voith D863
York Region Transit (ex-GO Transit) Orion V
Cummins ISM w/Voith D864
Transbus Trident (BC Transit 9036) on loan to GO Transit
Cummins L10 w/Allison HT746
GO Transit MCI 102C3
Cummins L10 w/Voith D863
Mississauga Transit Orion V
Cummins L10G w/ZH HP-590
TTC 1991 Orion V CNG (prior to retrofit)
Cummins L10G w/Allison B400R
TTC Orion (V and VI) CNGs
Cummins LTA10B w/Allison V730
TTC New Flyer D40-90 (after retrofit)
Cummins LTA10B w/Allison B400R
TTC Orion V (diesel conversion trial)
Cummins LTA10B w/ZF HP-500
TTC New Flyer D40-90 (prior to retrofit)
Cummins M11 w/Allison B400R
Grand River Transit Orion VI
Cummins-Westport C Gas Plus w/ZF HP-592
Hamilton Street Railway New Flyer C40LF
Detroit Diesel 6L7TA w/ZF HP-590
TTC Orion Ikarus III
Detroit Diesel 6V71 w/Allison HT740
Mississauga Transit Orion I
Detroit Diesel 6V71 w/Allison VH-9
TTC (1975) T6H-5307N
Detroit Diesel 6V71 w/Allison V730
TTC (1976+) GMDD T6H-5307N
TTC Flyer D901
Detroit Diesel 6V71 w/Allison V731
TTC GM/MCI TC40102N (Classics)
TTC New Flyer D40-88
Detroit Diesel 6V92 w/Allison V730
York Region Transit (ex- Salt Lake City)GMC TC40102N (Classic)
Detroit Diesel 6V92TA w/Allison HT740
GO Transit MCI 102A2
York Region Transit Orion I
Detroit Diesel 6V92TA w/Allison HT748
York Region Transit (ex-GO Transit) Orion I
Detroit Diesel 6V92TA w/Allison B400R
TTC (1991) Orion V (after retrofit)
Detroit Diesel 6V92TA w/Voith D863
Grand River Transit (1992)New Flyer D40LF
Oakville Transit Orion V
York Region Transit MCI TC40102A
Detroit Diesel 6V92TA w/Voith D864
GO Transit New Flyer D40 Suburban
Detroit Diesel 6V92TA w/ZF HP-590
TTC (1991) Orion V (prior to retrofit)
Detroit Diesel 6V92TA w/ZF HP-600
GO Transit MCI 102A2
Detroit Diesel 8V71 w/Allison HT740
GO Transit MC-9 (retired)
Detroit Diesel 8V71 w/Allison V730
Brampton Transit T8H-5307A (ex-Santa Monica)
Detroit Diesel 8V71 w/Allison V735
Hamilton Street Railway GMDD TA60102N
Detroit Diesel Series 40 w/Allison B400R
Oshawa Transit Novabus LFS
TTC Novabus LFS (sold to Barrie Transit)
Detroit Diesel Series 50 w/Allison B400R
Mississauga Transit Orion V (WMATA rejects)
Detroit Diesel Series 50 w/Allison V731RH
MTA (New York City Transit) TMC RTS
TTC Novabus RTS
Detroit Diesel Series 50 w/Voith D863
Ajax-Pickering Transit Authority Orion V
Detroit Diesel Series 50G w/Allison B400R
Grand River Transit New Flyer C40LF
Hamilton Street Railway New Flyer C40LF
Detroit Diesel Series 50 w/Allison B500R
GO Transit Orion V Suburban
OC Transpo New Flyer D60LF
York Region Transit (ex-GO Transit) Orion V
Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR w/Allison B400R
TTC Orion VII
Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR w/Allison B500R
GO Transit Orion V Suburban
Detroit Diesel Series 60 w/Allison B500
Coach Canada Prevost H3-45
Greyhound 102DL3
Detroit Diesel Series 60 w/Allison B500R
GO Transit MCI D4500
GO Transit Prevost LeMirage XL
This would be my list, I may have forgotten some. I have recorded most of the above.
Allen Dicion
Toronto, Canada
www.transithub.net
Happy Bidding! :)
-Fred
Also, why is it that the S58 takes so much longer than the S62 to reach Smithtown?
Look under seller id sjh50.
On that note, has WMATA had their Roadeo this year?
-F.
WMATA had theirs a couple weeks ago.
Don't forget, SEPTA's Roadeo is July 10th...there will be a flxible there...although it isn't a metro...
fopaux, i think
618
619
619
615
620
616
617
Also, 612, 613, and 614 have made apperances on V2 at some point in time. I wonder if any other G-Burg blocks have had such a sequence on them since buses generally don't venture from block to block.
Besides, G-burg is getting clogged up with all of those CNGs...
A personal observation, I saw 5705 on the 26 this afternoon. It was the first time I had seen that bus in quite a long time.
Uhhh....it already is. You need to get out more often.
On a related topic, can anyone get me stats on how much the NY MTA pays for a CNG bus on average, and on particulate emissions on CNG versus hybrid diesel? (I am aware that the cost of a hybrid diesel bus is about half a million dollars.) Thanks.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Personally the way clean or green diesel is offered and the cleaner burning engines they have today, I would also keep looking at diesel.
I don't mind CNG buses or hybrids, but if you are trying to replace your older buses with newer ones, CNGs or hybrids isn't something you want to look into.
As for hybrids being an unproven technology...was that WMATA's excuse (for CNG technology) for getting in so late on the CNG game? When they got CNGs, hybrid technology was coming out. However, nowadays, hybrid technology is definitely not unproven.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Haven't you read the early posts?
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
David
A BO showed me how the D60 stops with the retarder off, and you'd definatley know if the retarder was off.
What are retarders? TIA.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
B1-#7522-REMAN RTS
by the way,trip to Puerto rico wasnt bad. no buses and came back with broncitis.
They were Gillig SCHOOL BUSES.
David
The agreement between the City and the MTA means that the takeover is decided. It does NOT mean that the terms are settled because we were not part of that agreement. The owners are out for themselves. We must stand together against the City/MTA squeeze play.
• Job Security
The “Term Sheet” says “The MTA will assume all union employees.” That’s good. Local 100 says that all means ALL.
• United, Invincible.
We have to be united now more than ever. United inside the Private Lines - all properties, all titles, active and retired, senior and junior. United inside TWU Local 100. We already met with the ATU, and agreed to work together.
• 2 Months to Show that Riders and Workers Are In This Together
The final terms of the takeover have to be acceptable to the riding public and the Local 100 members. We are starting a 2-month intense program to demonstrate public support for adequate bus service and fair treatment for workers. We are meeting with elected officials in Queens, the Bronx and Westchester, and with community groups. Every member has to be a voice for stable, safe bus service.
• We Will Hold the Line For Local 100 Members
Local 100 members must not be disadvantaged by the takeover. That means no reduction in pensions and no reduction in benefits.
• Our work is OUR WORK
Local 100 says that the members and the properties own their work and their routes. We will follow the work and the routes wherever they wind up.
• We Decide Seniority
The seniority system is for Local 100 to determine. The affected members will vote on any seniority proposals. The MTA cannot force any new system on us.
• Full, open discussion by affected Local 100 members
Monthly membership meetings:
Tentative dates: May 21st and June 23rd.
Frequent officer meetings on all levels, including with the ATU, to map out our strategy and prepare for any MTA or company moves.
All PBL elected officers will meet twice a month:
Tentative dates: 5/11, 5/25, 6/15, 6/29.
TWU Local 100
April 28, 2004
TERM SHEET
(Agreement between New York City and MTA)
• Express and local bus service the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn currently provided by the private operators will be transferred to the MTA by July 1. 2004. The existing franchise agreements with the private operators expire on June 30, 2004.
• The MTA will be responsible for all aspects of service delivery. The City will pay the MTA the difference between the actual cost of operation, and all revenues, including subsidies, fares and advertising. This arrangement will allow the City to gain the advantage of all efficiencies generated by the consolidation while insuring that the remainder of the MTA’ s customers do not shoulder the subsidized portion of the costs of operation. The City and MTA commit that the same service standards applicable Citywide will be used to adjust service to these neighborhoods subject to the availability of equipment and personnel.
• The City will lease all its bus-related assets to the MTA including approximately 440 new buses that are currently being purchased and the two bus depots that are owned by the City. At the City’s request, the MTA will propose an amendment to its 2000-2004 Capital Plan to set aside a $322.5 million reserve that will be funded from monies currently allocated to the La Guardia subway extension but no longer slated for this project. This reserve will be utilized for the costs associated with additional fleet replacement, facilities and other necessary capital improvements for the assumed service.
• To ensure a seamless transition of service — the City will begin immediate efforts to negotiate “wind-down” agreements with the existing private operators and a joint City/MTA Task Force will be established to address legal and operational concerns. The City will be responsible for providing any additional assets necessary for the successful assumption of service to the MTA. The MTA will work jointly with the City to facilitate these issues and make best efforts to develop alternative solutions where feasible.
• The MTA will assume all union employees and will honor existing collective bargaining agreements and collective bargaining obligations until new agreements are negotiated. To effect this, the parties plan to meet with the unions in the near future.
• The MTA does not assume any preexisting liabilities, such as worker’s compensation, tort claims, environmental remediation and pension obligations. Any severance or other obligations created by virtue of the assumption of the service or the cessation of service by the private operators will not be borne by the MTA. MTA and the City will work cooperatively to insure that any such liabilities and obligations are mitigated to the maximum extent practicable.
• As part of this overall agreement, the City will support the MTA Capital Plan Amendments, including the accelerated purchase of new Metro North Railroad cars; provided however, the preexisting split between the Transit Authority and the Commuter Railroads will be restored in the MTA’s next capital program by allocating the costs of the accelerated Metro North car purchase to the Commuter Railroad portion of the next Capital Program as if it was part of the next Capital Program.
• The transfer requires State Legislative action to:
1) create the MTA Regional Bus Company to facilitate the consolidation of the private bus operations into the MTA;
2) redirect currently provided State operating assistance from the City to the MTA;
3) pass the Capital Plan amendments and commit to restoring the preexisting Capital Plan allocation between the Transit Authority and the Commuter Railroads in the MTA’s next program as provided above;
4) approve setting aside the bus reserve in the MTA’s 2000-2004 Capital Program.
Statement by Transport Workers
The latter of which had already been posted as part of the "RBC Update" message.
This was during rush hour - a Metro-North train was overdue - and the Bee-line driver said he could only wait a couple minutes, then he had to depart. "Those people are gonna want to kill me," he said to the TOR operator. The TOR bus, a Route 57 originating at Tarrytown for Nyack-Spring Valley, is basically there to serve Rockland County Metro-North riders and some of the 57s wait for specific Metro-North trains whether they're late or not. Not so with Bee-Line. Two Bee-Line routes operate from Tarrytown, the 13 and the 1T, and they are not tied to train connections. About half the 13s originate/terminate at Tarrytown train station, the rest go to/from Ossining, about 20 minutes away. In a sense the 13 is a 'crosstown' run, operating east/west along Rt 119 and Westchester Avenue from Tarrytown to Port Chester via White Plains, connecting with many other routes. The 13 is normally assigned Orions, plus an occasional Flx (I used to see a MAN Artic on Saturday nights, but I've never seen a Neoplan Artic on the 13). The 1T also originates/terminates at Tarrytown train station,operating on Broadway/Warburton Avenue to the Nos.1/9 trains ar W.242d St via downtown Yonkers. The 1T service has been cut back drastically in recent years, and currently is a Mon-Fri operation, with the last bus around 6:30 PM. The 1T usually has Flxs, occasionally got MAN Artics in the past and but I've yet to see a Neoplan Artic on a 1T. There is also a Bee-Line shuttle that operates out of Tarrytown station to the office parks along the Rt 119 corridor. They operate with vans, haven't seen a 30-foot Orion yet.
Oh and the 57 gets MCIs.
Da Hui
Yeah the 1C gets Neoplan Artics, too. I commute on the 1C everyday.
NYCT's first buses with a wheelchair LIFT were 200 of the 850 Grumman Flxibles from 1980.
David
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
David
In general, of all the buses in North America, I'd be willing to bet that the first bus with a W/C ramp would have been a D40LF from Victoria Regional Transit System, which recieved the first D40LFs (and I think the first Low Floors in NA) in 1991. Of course, I suppose somebody coulda stuck a ramp on a high floor bus, it'd just have to be damn long to keep the W/C from rolling back down it.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Da Hui
David
Da Hui
2) The state dug up $1 million to save the route. It isn't hurting the TA's budget.
And what money does "the state" have? It's our money. It will not be spent on other things, probably other things in transit. I'll bet those buses will only average ten riders each.
I'd like to see the MTA publish a cost per ride, and revenue per ride, by bus and subway route and time of day/weekend.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
The only route of the three in danger is the Q9A. The others could be modified, but the Q21 and B100 will be around in some form or fashion. I would not be surprised if the B100 isn't touched for several years.
The times periods:
1 - Midday
2 - All Day Saturday
3 - All Day Sunday
4 - AM Rush Weekday
5 - PM Rush Weekday
6 - PM Rush/Nights Weekday
7 - PM Rush/Nights Saturdays
8 - PM Rush/Nights Sundays
1. This spot is the first letter of the garage that the bus comes from. If it came from Bladensburg division, a B is here. If it came from Western division, a W is here.
A=Arlington Division
F=Four Mile Run Division
L=Landover Division
M=Montgomery Division
N=Northern Division
P=Southeast Annex
R=Royal Division
2. This spot is for the first letter or number of the route that the bus is running. Take for instance, the R2, which runs out of Bladensburg. It would say [B][R] for the first two spots. The E2, which runs out of Western, would be [W][E]. The 9A, which runs out of Four Mile Run, would be [F][9]
3. (I'm not toally sure about this) The last two spots, I believe, are strictly unique identification numbers to tell the dispatchers and supervisors exactly which particular trips on that route the bus is doing. They consist of two random numbers. For instance, I always used to ride the R2 on block [B][R][1][3].
Any bus on the even 30s would be W304. The VA numbers seem to be a bit different though. When the 14A-D was running, the block would be MA02 for example.
The 85 is out of Landover and would read: L851 or something to that effect.
The numbered routes in the WMATA system get their numbers from the trolley lines they replaced.
There was a time when there was a 30 trip at about 2 PM from Archives that was part of block WE04.
Some lines interline. The R3 from Greenbelt to Fort Totten interlines with the 80 at Fort Totten because blcok BR06 makes at least one trip to the Kennedy Center.
Michael
Washington, DC
On Saturdays, the there is some interlining on the F4 and T16 Metrobus routes. I see LF41 on a T16.
You need an abacus to figure out Ride Ons block numbering system. I don't think it has anything to do with the routes the bus is assigned.
It's just a sequential numbering system.
Michael
Washington, DC
Michael
Washington, DC
On Saturdays, the there is some interlining on the F4 and T16 Metrobus routes. I see LF41 on a T16.
You need an abacus to figure out Ride Ons block numbering system. I don't think it has anything to do with the routes the bus is assigned.
It's just a sequential numbering system.
Michael
Washington, DC
Walked down to Mineola station. Got a shot of a NYP bound M7. Walked over to SNZ Locksmith to get a trailways ticket, they said trailways went out of biz. Uh hu, sure, ok. If so, then what was that big bus that I saw 5 minutes later that said Pine Hill Trailways on the side with a destination sign reading Albany? Got a shot of that beauty as it came over the recently completed Franklin Av bridge. Only one person got on. Talked to the driver for a bit, real nice guy. Asked him bout their Islip service, he said it still runs. Good.
Tried to get some wings and a job at the wings/pizza place there at the bus stop, but they were closed. Walked over to the train station platform. Saw a lot of action there, including what I think was the tie train.
From there, got the bus to Hempstead. Tried for a job at the Greyhound terminal there, no luck. The guy there said to try PABT or Islip though. Said he seen teens wrkin at PABT in past summers. Was walkin out of the terminal when a hound goin to Islip pulled up. Got a few shots and stayed to see what part of the job would be. Don't seem to hard.
Got on the N15 to RFM. Got a mothersday gift(this is why I couldn't afford to go to Islip, needed the money for this) and an apllication to work at Halmark. Also got applications for Sam Goody and 2 candy stores.
At RFM next to the bus terminal, some radio station was holdin some sorta party, I guess a mothersday thing. Got the N78 to Mineola, then the N23 to PW. Slept the whole way from Mineola to Manhasset. I was suprised I still had all my stuff, lol.
So....anyone know of any job I can get anywhere? I hear Dell pays 7 bux an hr to wash their buses, and that's right in town. Still, the cheap person and the busfan inside me say that getting the employee discount(aka free rides) for Greyhound is too good an offer to pass up.
Hmmmmm.....how much does this mailroom job pay though? Where in NYC(I was supposed to intern in NYC originally, and I may work at PABT instead of Islip, so I'd be willing to work in NYC).
They also hirin drivers. Check out the Greyhound site.
At Long Last......
After a 1 month hiatus due to a machine swap...We present to you the TransiTALK Update.
Including on this update is SEVERAL Brand New Sections:
Las Vegas (NV)
New Orleans (LA)
Charlotte (NC)
Knoxville (TN)
Birmingham (AL)
Also in this update is 6 new sounds (3 bus and 3 rail) and 1 new movie.
Click The Bus Below to Enter The Update......
Enjoy,
Trevor Logan
Oh, thank you Trevor!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!
Trevor
Trevor
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Da Hui
The bus changes took place in April, so they probably aren't on the March map.
I walk over to Kissena Blvd and in a span of about 15 minutes, I saw 6 Q17’s and 4 Q27’s and most of those buses had at least ½ of the seats taken and one 17 and one 27 even had rush hour like crowding. Then a Q25 finally showed up and I get on 472 and ride it southbound and I see that a Q65A is coming so at least I wouldn’t have to go down to Jamaica for the E or F. I get off and to my surprise, I see suburban 581 running and the seats were nice and soft 8-) and a quick ride to the last stop at 71 Av where I take the E to 21 St/Queensbridge [due to a GO] and seeing that I can’t take the chance of waiting on the Q19A [or most buses for that matter] around 7:15pm, I decide to walk to Queens Plaza and I missed the B61 so I wait 12 minutes for the next one, 908 and it’s a mellow ride and I get off at Greenpoint Av for the G and I see it as I go downstairs, ride that to Hoyt-Schemerhorn and take 8319 on the B41 LTD then get on 847 and finish my trip.
O5 582 B8
R68A 5098 (Q)
R142 1206 (4)
NF Artic 5714 Bx1 LTD
NF Artic 5698 Bx2
NF Artic 5423 Bx42
O5 6129 Q44
QS O5 472 Q25
QS O5 581 Q65A
R32 3849 (E)
NF 908 B61
R46 6178 (G)
RTS 8319 B41 LTD
NF 847 B8
A few pictures from my trip as well. Enjoy.
Fucking gunhill....
I was almost late to school because of that.
Someone should ALSO tell the BO's at Gun Hill that VANDALISM IS NOT COOL. They need to stop vandalizing those buses, and writing random crap all over them
Da Hui
Da Hui
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Bx31 # 7667
Bx31 # 7667
Keep them coming.
Love the pictures and keep up the postings.
I have a photo of #1206. :-)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
(wrong code in first response)
I have a photo of #1206. :-)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
After making sense of the "Nightline" service of PUT (it's like another company service!) I decided to take the High St rt to Stowe and back, since it would come the soonest. My bus pulled up, number 57, and it wasn't bad...for an RTS. I could barely get in through the door as he opened it, and unfortunately I couldn't take advantage of the student fare, so I had to pay a whopping 1.25 (well, in SEPTA territory, that's dirt cheap. The funny thing about it, was that somebody said that the fares were expensive and whatnot).
Pottstown Urban Transit is similar to DASH (and capital area transit, in clemson, SC), as far as I know. It's small, and it travels through some neighborhood sidestreets (like the AT3), and it also pulls into lots of shopping centers and the Pottstown Hospital, letting people off right at the door (instead of all the way on the main road like most routes, and I'm not just talking about SEPTA). The RTS itself had great acceleration (maybe the power of a DD50?) and it wasn't a bad ride...I liked being able to open the window (something you appreciate when SEPTA is your home company). An odd thing was that both "wheelchair seats" were up - I don't know if it is usually like that or not though - I only rode one bus.
Interesting note: I overheard a lady talking with the driver (Eddie!) that the trolley (I believe there is a Chance trolley in the fleet) is actually operated on the High St Nightline on the first Friday of every month - she was surprised to see it pick her up last night. If that is true, I'd be interested in trying to get that bus whenever I get back to Pottstown (of course, this time I'd like to try the day service).
Funny stuff: This lady came on the bus...she wasn't all...there, I guess. She misinterpreted the driver as someone else (I mean, you had to be there, I guess), and the way she talked and whatnot, particularly about the squealing brakes - they should oil them, she said. She was harmless, though, but again, you had to be there.
Interesting observation - the lack of official SEPTA bus stops in the Pottstown area. I know SEPTA has some special pickup/drop off rules in Pottstown ( so it doesn't conflict with the high street route), but they could put up some signs in some places, ya know. Sigh, that's typical Frontier behavior.
All in all, it was great being able to ride another system and not having to go down I-95 or the Northeast Corridor Line to get to it. I just wish there was a connection to Reading from at least Pottstown - they are so close! Maybe one day, when The Alternative comes to life, the Pottstown exp may also be the Reading Express. I wish more communities in the area would have private transit operations like PUT, only with real buses.
More comments on PUT later...
Pottstown Urban Transit, Inc. is the name of the operator for the system that is managed by the Borough of Pottstown. Unlike the smaller municipal shuttle systems operating in SEPTA territory (SCCOOT, Doylestown DART, etc), Pottstown is classified as a Class 3 Small Urban Transit system by PennDOT, as recieves state funding as a result. I believe they also operate the school bus service for the Pottstown School District as well, but I haven't been up that way in a long time (and, from what I hear, it's probably just as well, in that Pottstown has reportedly become a high-crime area a la Norristown, Chester, Darby, etc). The 5 TMC RTS buses (built around 1990-91) and the 2 Nova RTS buses originally had roll signs, but were retrofit with Luminator flip-dot signs within the past couple of years. The TMC are scheduled for replacement sometime either later this year or early next year.
There is a special student fare for PUT of 60 cents that students have to pay...it's almost as if they (the students) are students in Philadelphia in terms of using transit to get to school.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
B4-#9313-NOVABUS
Dave.
I have 243 pics in that album.Go to pics #'s 103,116 and 218 to see fully wrapped Gilligs.
Da Hui
The real fun begins next Saturday as around 300 buses shuttle people to and from the ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE Air Show, Saturday and Sunday. Around 6:30am buses start getting into position(bus traffic jam around 9am,hehe). Right now I can't get Saturday off, but can get Sunday, so at least I can have one good bus watching day.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Before someone here gets their panties in a bunch ( I know someone here will) I am joking.
I guess in hindsight what that Houston driver did "pimp slapping" that customer, was probably done so nothing would happen to him. Hey drivers nowadays have to defend themselves and what that driver did, I don't blame him.
What is the story of the driver in Houston? I'd beat the crap out of this person too...trying to injure me over some pieces of paper...of course, that's in the world where I'm Mr. Beefy and can kick anyone's behind...
I see DART is growing well.
Is this correct? TIA.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Prob. not as much as a 40-footer. Because the New Flyer D60HF Articulated is an artic, I think the bellows divide the bus into two 30-foot halves (I would also assume because they have a tighter turning radius than the 40-footers). Therefore, I think it would take less air than say an RTS or an Orion V to rise it. And one more note: When I see a New Flyer D60HF Articulated leaning/rising, I only see the front half lean/rise. I never see the rear half lean/rise. Therefore, I assume that it takes less air to rise a New Flyer D60HF Articulated than say (as I said earlier), an RTS or an Orion V.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Prob. not as much as a 40-footer. Because the New Flyer D60HF Articulated is an artic, I think the bellows divide the bus into two 30-foot halves (I would also assume because they have a tighter turning radius than the 40-footers). Therefore, I think it would take less air than say an RTS or an Orion V to rise it. And one more note: When I see a New Flyer D60HF Articulated kneeling/rising, I only see the front half kneel/rise. I never see the rear half kneel/rise. Therefore, I assume that it takes less air to rise a New Flyer D60HF Articulated than say (as I said earlier), an RTS or an Orion V.
(Sorry, I just realized I accidentally typed "lean" instead of "kneel" when I was supposed to type "kneel".)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
It turned out that the RENK transmission is actually used for TANKs, Cruise ships, yachts and whatnot. Was there ever a time (excluding these Orion Is) where RENKs would/could actually be used for trucks/buses? How would a boat transmission work in a bus, or is it just some old form of transmission from "back in the day" (these are 1986 buses - hey, like my dying DKs!)
One RENK site - http://www.army-technology.com/contractors/propulsion/renk/
There have been a few instances of non-MAN buses being fitted, however it was rare.
The RENK Doromat 874 to my knowledge is no longer being produced, as Voith has their own models (which are considered to be superior to RENK's design).
Other than MAN's products that came to the US, I believe there were a couple orders of Orion 1's back in the late 80's/early 90's, and a few Gilligs (not sure of this) were also built with this transmission installed.
Brian Bradford
bn897@scn.org
Brooklyn, NY (yep, I'm back)
This just makes me wonder if one day I'll look back at my Neos and realize just how old they really are...
Da Hui
If these vehichles are well maintained, well designed and - free of rust and corrosion - there's really no reason to be in a hurry to replace them.
So the fact that they're old shouldn't be so important.
One final thought - when Greyhound was in hard financial times back in the late 80's, some of their buses had seen service for more than 20 years. That's over the road service and so - more than a million miles. But they were well maintained and MCI has always done a pretty good job in designing Greyhound equipment. So being old really didn't matter that much.
What I meant was that while the buses are in service (unless they were old when you are little or something) they seem to fit in perfectly, regardless of the all LED DD50/ISL/HEV low floor state of the art buses entering the fleet today. Yet, I looked back at a picture of the TMC after they have been retired for a few years, and I got so used to seeing the current fleet of Orion Vs and Gilligs that the TMCs looked like they were from another time long ago, although they were literally from another time.
Yes, you definitely will ... especially after about another 10 or 15 years and the 'new' buses that replaced your old favorites get scrapped themselves!
Jim D.
(speaking from experience)
Ridership On City Buses Outpaces Service Gains
MAY 10TH, 2004
Ridership on city buses is up, but service has not kept up, according to a new report.
The study, released Monday by the Straphangers Campaign, a transit watchdog group, found weekday ridership jumped 20 percent from September 1997 to September 2003, due in large part to free transfers with MetroCards. But the report concludes the frequency of weekday service improved by only 13 percent in that same time.
The numbers vary greatly by borough. There's a big gap in Brooklyn, with 24 percent more riders and 12 percent increased service, and Manhattan, where ridership jumped 17 percent and service lagged at 7 percent.
The disparity is less in Queens, where ridership is up 24 percent and service is up 17 percent.
Service has actually slightly outpaced ridership in the Bronx, with a 16 percent ridership increase and 18 percent for service, and on Staten Island, with 11 percent more ridership and 12 percent for service.
The Straphangers Campaign says the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s plan to cut service at a time when ridership is rising and just a year after a fare hike is outrageous.
“If they don’t have the resources to keep service at current levels and they’re looking at actually cutting service, then we have to look to the governor and the mayor to come up with the resources so people don’t have elbow-in-the-ribs crowding,” the head of the group, Gene Russianoff, said.
The MTA said it "disagrees strongly" with the argument that bus service must increase at the same rate as ridership. Most ridership growth has happened during off-peak hours, according to the MTA, and bus service is at the highest level in nearly 30 years.
For more information about the study, including ratings of specific bus routes, go to www.straphangers.org.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
The eerie thing is that this is the bus that was apparently involved in the accident! I actuall rode that very bus from Kissena & Harding to 41st Avenue on Friday.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
I saw such a bus running on the Q38 last night on Penelope avenue. Couldn't get the bus number.
and your point is?
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
I see the term here and there, but what the hell is a Balios?
Any information is greatly appreciated...
Green Bus Lines Orion 05.501 #5501-5550
MTA NYC Bus New Flyer D60HFs (#5670-5769 and Various 5300, 5400 and early 5500s)
MTA LI Bus Orion 05.501 CNG #396 and above
MTA NYC Bus Orion 07.501 CNGs #7686 and above
MTA NYC Bus Orion 05.501 #244
NY Bus Service MCI D4500 Commuter Cruiser #1800-1805
The Balios Orange LED Destination Signs appeared in MTA Orion 05.501 #522, MTA TMC RTS #8490, Green Lines Orion 05.501 #5503 and Command Bus Orion 05.501 #4961. To date the only bus in this area left with the Balios Orange LED Signs are Command #4961.
The Twin Vision Chroma LED Orange sign is currently in MTA Orion 05.501 #247.
I Hope This information helped you out!
Regards,
Trevor Logan
www.transitalk.info
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Da Hui
I also used the voice activated RideGuide for the first time. She isn't that great in my opinion but works well enough when you don't have a computer.
14's were a Glendening admin. initiative. From Gaithersburg to Bethesda/NIH via 270, then to Tyson's via 495. It was an attempt to create some circumferential service.
Both were cancelled this winter by Rob Smith, the new Metro Chair. "Below-average ridership" was cited (I know ridership was low, but I dislike the phrase. By definition, 50%, of all routes are "below average"). As it happens, the 14's were the only Metrobus service in Gaithersburg, Smith's home town and/or place of work (Ride-On covers MoCo very well).
B1-#9249-NOVABUS
B64-#9087-NOVABUS
B6#9249
http://www.tedrick.org/projects/dcbus/
(sorry, don't know how to link- std. html didn't work in the preview)
I'd like some feedback, including which routes to do next. I think I have 70, 90/92/94 and the 13's already drawn.
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
A bus of any type may be used on these shuttles. Scheduling, although predefined is rarely followed. SLD on-scene dispatching based on passenger flow is usually how these shuttles are handled. At times, full-fare round trip fares will be collected up-front. Other times not. It depends upon the event and particulars.
For specific route and timetable descriptions, see the individual event travel information website. I do have the X81/X83 route map and descriptions, but buried in a box of 'bus junk' :-)
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
4733 and 4736 are now scrapped with bad engines.
8151 is now scrapped with a bad engine.
8112 and 8135 are down and out with cracked bulkheads. However, they are not listed as scrapped.
8117 has been transferred to Zerega with a bad bulkhead.
5062 has been sent to a base shop with a cracked chassis.
Nothing new has been transferred into Fresh Pond, other than possibly some 8100's from ENY or Flatbush which I am not keeping track of due to the large, random out of sequence numbers that seem to be appearing.
BIG AL
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Now since we're talking about bus route changes and stuff, how come nobody has raised this question:
When the takeover begins, "Brooklyn67" said that there would be a blue stripe painted on the DOT buses...here's my question:
Will they RENUMBER the buses at the same time?
I mean thinking about Jamaica Bus Lines, the GMC RTS-04s and RTS-06s are in the 500s, which if I'm not mistaken (and I know I'm not) Castleton, Queens Village, Casey Stengel and Jackie Gleason have Orion in the 500 series as well, right? Wouldn't that be a conflict OR they'll do that at another time OR a later date?
Thanks in advance.
Ray
Where renumbering is necessary, it may be some time before it is done. I base my speculation on my recollection of the Fifth Avenue to MABSTOA takeover back in the early 1960's. There was some overlap in numbering back then, but Fifth Avenue and Surface buses were not renumbered for a while. Shortly after that takeover, the TA "sent" some of its older buses (the 4510's in the 4000-4499 series) to MABSTOA. Because MABSTOA had some former Surface buses in the 4000's, the TA buses had the letter "T" placed before the number to differentiate them from any MABSTOA counterpart. In due course, MABSTOA's 4000's were renumbered.
Even within MABSTOA, Fifth Avenue and Surface has some overlapping numbers. The Surface buses were eventually renumbered, but I think that happened only months after the takeover.
Of course, today computerization may call for renumbering faster than was necessary in the 1960's.
In the early days of MABSTOA some of the Surface buses which overlapped TA numbering initially got the prefix "S" This was true of the 3000-3009 Mack C-49s which were later renumbered 4900-4909. Other C-49s originally numbered 29xx got the S because they duplicated Fifth Avenue numbers. These later joined the 49xxs.
B1-#4854-TMC
B1-#9177-NOVABUS
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Bx21 # 7723
Bx31 # 1097
Bx31 # 7688
Bx16 # 5368
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
BIG AL
Jamaica: #9250-9294 and #9342-9349.
Jamaica: #9250-9294 and #9342-9349.
Ray
What about Islip?
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Does anyone know of any big accidents that occurred (maybe Steve Hoskins or MJQoperator know)? That B/O told me that people would fall off the steps of the bus. By big accidents, I mean like during rush hour if several people flew off. TIA.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
This is why regulatory instruction to keep the front doors closed until after kneeling the bus fully completed. This way, passengers would fall into the door, not out of the bus ;-)
On a related note, one has to be careful with RTS buses, whose doors hang out. (The Orions and New Flyers have doors that are part in when they open.)
-Adam
(allisonb500r@aol.com)
Nice! Either no brakes, or a novel penalty for parking in a bus stop?
How did you get those photos, were you like right there at the right place at the right time?
How do buses get into crashes, generally???
Thank you
Theres nothing funny about that... People do get hurt in accidents you do know that already correct?
untrained and unskilled cars usually. Same way billions is lost per year in car collisions.
It happens during the winter months in the south, when SUV's from Ohio bring their lack of skills and pull out in front of a turning bus 8 feet past the stop bar at a red light.
I dont know....why dont we ask the bus? Maybe it was having a bad day or something!
B1-#7512-Reman RTS
B1-#4458-TMC(working A/C)
David
Inside the bus pic :)
Yes, 9719 did have a Neoplan sized exhaust pipe sticking out of the MIDDLE of the rear of the roofline, yet it wasn't even directly centered. All DC bustalkers especially those in the montgomery county area, keep an lookout for 9719 and possibly any other 9700s with this scary mutation.
Thanks.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Here is one more odd thing I saw today. The side destination sign for 2417 did something I have never seen before. First it read "H6", then "BROOKLAND" then "STATION", then went back to "H6". One of the few signs that didn't say "BROOKLAND"then "STADIUM".
Ride-On Orion I 5545 has not had a working sign for about 6 months now. Last I saw it, the side sign said CHARTER and the front and rear signs say nothing.
WhyMATA, gotta love them.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
May 24 Landover gets 166 buses installed with the smarttrip fareboxes
June 7th Four Mile Run will outfit 199 of their buses with the smarttrip fareboxes.
Going back though was trouble. I was either going to get the 6:12pm N21 and take it to Roslyn for the N20, or the 6:25pm N27 down to Roosevelt Field for the 22.
Well the bus assigned to do the 6:12pm never showed, until around 6:30pm. But this bus, #606 arrived and then shut down. The driver said the bus broke down. The back was all covered in soot, he said something about an oil leak. Yup, another breakdown! I guess they're really letting the 600s go now. Here's a pic of the rear, doesnt look pretty!
So I guess I was taking the 6:25pm N27. But it didnt arrive from Hempstead until 6:35pm, 20 minutes late! Driver said there was traffic. Ugh, this county is nothing but traffic!
Took an hour to get to Roosevelt Field and there was no a/c.
Summertime weather and LI Bus, not a good combination. Bring on the cold!
Sorry for bein so harsh before.
Except when it comes to Kingsbridge Artix and Gun *Cough Cough* Hill.
-Benc Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
"No crying kids in this area" STOP WRITING ON BUSES DAMMIT!!!!, on 5378
Speakers are optional on GH buses, on 5378
More employee vandalism
same here
Dead GH bus in front of school
A bunch of dead bulbs, hopefully you can see them
Busted ad panels on 5386
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Bx16 # 6118
Bx31 # 7716
Spotted on an M5 bus.
Da Hui
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
That bus was at Pier, but never with anything written on the Stop Requested Sign.
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
What is that for? Is that for the traffic checkers?
Also, how convenient to write that on the sign - you shouldn't miss it. It reminds me of how a midvale driver wrote on a NABI "wait 3 seconds - stop yelling for the back door" - the NABIs have a delay in opening the rear door - I don't know why, it's pretty odd.
Chuck Greene
Sorry bout the pic quality, (my currrent phone is old, I know) but it's the only camera i've got on me most of the time, and it's pretty inconspicuous.
How many dead bulbs can you spot in this shot?
The answer is 3
Notice anything missing on this bus?
Brownie points if you can make out where I spotted this Orion 7 hybrid (635x) on thursday night
Random employee vandalism on this morning's bus (sorry, forgot the numbers)
And an ad panel that's hanging on by 3 screws on the bottom, hopefully you can make out how seperated it is (I was sitting under it)
Voice of a busfan/railfan:
Help me! I've been trapped inside a crappy-@$$ bus from the Gun *Cough Cough* Hill depot. I got on a Kings *Cough Cough* bridge depot bus, but it wasn't good either. They should be called Paupers *Cough Cough* bridge depot (although the neighborhood's okay) ! Get me to the nearest MJQ 2004 D60HF IMMEDIATELY!
I normally don't use the F word, but F*CK GH and KB.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Since GH opened we have had the best bus service in CC ever.
(The 635x buses are O6HEVs. O7HEVs start at 636x.)
In fact, here's a picture of the highest numbered Orion VI, #6359:
The federal DOT guidelines indicate that the expected life of a transit bus is 12 years. Some authorities are usually quite punctual about replacing their buses on or shortly after the 12 year anniversary (e.g., CT Transit), while others attempt to keep buses longer. It is quite rare to see an authority keep buses as long as 20 years.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-F.
Now what can we do about this crappy system? Maybe we can impress on the county to get rid of the Para-Transit vans and buy REAL buses [even the Orion II is better than the stuff they got now.], also we could tell them to run their buses on an ALL DAY schedule [Also make the buses run no longer than 1 hour apart]. And finally, CREATE SOME ROUTES THAT ACTUALLY GO SOMEWHERE! The B9 is one route that is supposed to do that, but find some way to fill in the gaps NJT leaves, not parallel or serve an area half-assed like they do now.
Sounds just like THE BUS, although the ODVs may be better than Paratransit vans...that company needs opuses.
Give them a few years, they may get better (if they don't flop out).
In fairness to Burlington County, I don't know if they plan on directly purchasing (or leasing from NJT) more buses to take the para-transit vans off BurLink and back to where they belong.
At the TransCenter, I snapped some pics of buses there (to be posted on Friday), and then I took the 3:21 14 bus, Orion V #417 (about 5 minutes late) up to Peekskill, where I originally hoped to catch the 15 to White Plains again. The journey on the 14 was extremely long (I had expected it to be 2 hours, and it was about that), and it wound through some rather suburban, borderline rural areas, especially around Cortlandt, which had some extremely scenic areas. The view from Ossining looking over Sing Sing was not too shabby either! The bus was governed to 55, and it reached 55 at several times along Route 9A. However, I arrived at Peekskill around 5:25 (the last 15 had left at 5:15), and so I had to improvise. I waited for the #16 or #18 bus to the Peekskill station, and I got on a 16 bus, a 30 foot Orion V operated by PTLA Enterprise, Inc.; NOT LIBERTY LINES TRANSIT! The ride was not too bad on this 29-seater. I then took the Metro-North train to Croton-Harmon (I like MUs over push-pulls), and waited for the local to Grand Central. At Croton Harmon (a lil OT), I was sitting next to a good-looking TriDelt girl, and I called one of my friends there. (IM me at Fishbowl 6V92TA, Allison B500R, or ENY Nova 5205 for more details.) I got on the 7 PM local to GCT (my only regret was I did not take pics of the ACMUs coming from GCT).
I got to GCT at 8:05, and JUST MISSED my Command Bus home. I then took the M2 (an 07 HEV #6369) to 57 Street, and walked to Second Avenue. There, the dispatcher informed me that my bus would not come, and that I would have to board another bus to get my regular bus home. All in all, a day that could have had some better planning, lol, but enjoyable, especially since the thunderstorm came and passed while on the 14!)
The equipment:
5211 RTS-06 B82
8297 R143 L shuttle
8180 R143 L
1465 R62 4
835 Flxible Metro B Bee Line 4
462 Orion 05.501 Bee Line 6
417 Orion 05.501 Bee Line 14
102 Orion 05.504 Bee Line 16
6103 Shoreliner I Hudson Line
8040 M1A Hudson Line Local
6369 Orion 07.501 HEV M2
473 MCI Classic TC40102A BM3
4955 Orion 05.501 CNG BM2
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Personally I liked Queens Surface.
Having visited the garages of three of the four earlier this year on a trip, I found the general condition of the Triboro fleet worse than all the rest, although Green Bus Lines wasn't far behind. On the other hand, the Jamaica Bus fleet looks surprisingly in great shape, including the oldest RTS's. But I agree that the one operator we didn't visit, Queens Surface, probably has the fleet that looks the best of all four.
As an aside, none of the four Queens operators comes close to the great shape of the NY Bus Service Fleet up in The Bronx.
Now they are tied with Green Bus
Thats my opinion
Thank You
I think Liberty Lines has always been good, but they've setpped up their game and now they're not at all far behind NYBS.
Also, does anyone know what happened to NYBS 1697?
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Da Hui
-What routes operate into the tunnel?
-What routes are still trolley coaches?
Thank you to all who answer.
I don't have my MBTA info at hand, but if memory serves me, the 71, 72, 73, 74/75 (not sure) and 77A are trolley bus operated (at least during the week - may be buses on weekends or Sundays). They all operate into the tunnel at Harvard. Some of the bus routes may also utilize the tunnel. For example, I am pretty sure the 77 bus uses the tunnel. I am not sure about other bus routes.
That is correct for outbound buses. Inbound buses are reversed - for example, inbound 77 buses arrive in the lower tunnel to discharge their passengers.
I do think that some routes get moved up to the street on the weekend, but I don't know if this is true or not. The trolley bus routes are the 71, 72, 73 and the 77A. All of the trolley bus routes are dieselized on Sundays/Holidays.
The routes do operate through the tunnel on weekends also. However, when the 71 and 73 are run with diesel buses, they load in the upper tunnel and then loop through the square on the surface to get to Mount Auburn Street and resume their outbound run.
Also, the South Piers Transitway is under construction and will use dual mode electric/natural gas busses when that opens.
Actually, the non-electric power for the dual-mode buses will be clean diesel, not natural gas. The MBTA did want an electric/CNG dual-mode bus, but was told by the builders that such a vehicle could not be built at this time.
Jim D.
This is a sad sight. It's beat up beyond all recognition, and it is being sold for salvage at a ridiculous starting price. If only I could have rode it while still in service.
On that note, does anyone know if MARTA still runs any Flxes, and what the "P" means at the end of the fleet # on the back of this bus?
-Fred
Duh...since when did any bus need keys other than a Renaissance?
-F.
NYCTA and WMATA probably would never do that as buses move around too often.
Before the decals, the NYCMTA used letter codes on their fareboxes.
1996 Nova RTS: 9244 - B6
These are the first pictures of HEV #6371 delivered to Queens Village Depot for Bus Operator training and select revenue service. More to come in the near future.
Please feel free to download them and post as you wish.
Bx16 #6118
I've already been trained on the bus and have operated it in passenger service. I'll repost my related reply in another thread.
We'll know more when they're in service as part of regular service. Until then, all opinions are based on this one vehicle, and as anyone can tell you, differences among fleet vehicles in operation can vary greatly from one to the next.
On one route? Or does it change from day to day?
I've had the opportunity to operate the bus in passenger service. Speaking from an operational standpoint, I have mixed feelings.
The atmosphere and driver asthetics:
The driver's area isn't far removed from your basic Orion design. The rear-view mirror and destination sign keypad are both distant from the seated position. The rear-view mirror cannot be adjusted from the seated position and the sign entry is difficult to review over your left shoulder. The right-side mirror is your standard narrower rectangluar dual-electric. The wipers do not operate independently of one another. The farebox and radio are placed out-of-the-way for a change and do not inhibit right-side view thanks in-part to the low farebox platform and minimal pedestal. Just about all tell-tale panel indicators are in plain sight directly ahead, as opposed to under or to the right of the steering wheel. That's a plus. There's no safety-bar (grab bar) but there is a locking 'entry door'.
Driving the bus:
Accelleration is immediate. There's initial drive power but then just as immediately, seems to dissipate as the engine struggles to maintain minimal speed. Uphill operation was strenious, as the bus barely moved above 10 MPH on any upgrade, even with a minimal to light load. Level grade proved less-than-average accelleration. Downhill, the bus moved fine. A much better suspension than the RTS, but not quite as 'boaty' as your standard Orion. With less than 400 miles on this particular HEV (6371), potholes and street damage were felt as the bus rattled but immediately recovered. The front doors are a bit faster than the RTS, but also include the safety lock preventing opening until the bus has stopped completely. Steering radius felt longer than the RTS and Orion, but the 'hard pull' felt more adequate than the RTS. That's also a plus. There is a bit more play in the HEV than both the standard Orion and RTS- something to get used to, as are the brakes. Immediate and abrupt stopping until I got the feel of it all.
Passenger Opinion:
A good majority seemed to enjoy the bus, although I'm guessing it's because they're new and different. Comments were both positive and negative, with a bulk of the negative comments being it seemed 'smaller' than the RTS. On the positive side, they liked the idea of having no steps to climb and the lower farebix to easily read their empty metrocards.
My opinion:
Eh. I'll let you know after they've 100,000 miles under their belts. I wasn't thrilled with uphill accelleration. I can't imagine it improving with age. My concern for passenger safety is the design of that bus. If you notice, the frontward interior seats are actually ground level, with your back at the sidewall. A side impact collision could result in major spinal injury due to the carelessness of any vehicle striking the bus. What once would have been a bumper wedged under the bus frame and away from your person can now result in major injury to you. An awful safety design flaw, in my opinion, for city transit buses. Especially here in New York City.
I'd driven the CNG out of Gleason when I was there. Good bus. Then again, they were relatively new at the time. No idea how they fare today from an operational standpoint. Perhaps a JGL operator can elaborate.
And believe me,there is no way in hell that there can be "no accidents" which is what is the MTA's top priority.No matter what,there will always be accidents no matter what the hell they do so they're just wasting thier damn time governing everything.And if they want the HEV and CNG buses to last thier full lives then they better start UNGOVERNING them or else they'll screw up the engines big time and then they'll have to be ordering new buses every 3 years instead of every 15 years.
Da Hui
As far as the full compliment of delivery, we haven't begun receiving it yet. You'll know when you see them :-) Sometime soon, I anticipate.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Are those flipdots???
Queens Village Depot Bus Operators being instructed on use of the wheelchair ramp and securement process, as well as the particulars of the bus.
Isn't the wheelchair "ramp" on the O7s manually operated?
http://talk.nycsubway.org/perl/read?bustalk=113534
:-)
The BMTman & I had just walked the severed part of the Mitchel Field tracks that go into the industrail area. Also went by LI Bus to see what was happening there. We knew that NimbyKiller was going to be in the area. We found him at the former location of the Friends of (steam) Engine 35 ... there is still a few pieces of equip. there. We've also been to their new location in Oyster Bay.
-Ben diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Mr rt ... the first meaning is easy !
Remember I only work for a bus company, what I love to do is ride RAPID TRANIST just for fun.
The 2nd meaning, well you'll just have to get to know me then it will be just as obvious.
This posted may become Sub-Duded once my new boss shows up :-(
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
For those who do not know, the green tabs on the wheel are lugnut tightness indicators. If one of the green tabs turns out of alignment from the rest of the green tabs, it indicates that that particular lugnut is not properly tightened.
Apparently these arent working too well for Ride On :-D
Anyone who wishes a copy of this (and other) "Making Score" newsletters, as well as the other various publications NYCT issues, simply call the number listed above and request it free of charge.
1996 nova RTs: 9102
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
4269(rehab)F14 New Carrolton
-4390(B30 bus)finishing up a B27 run
-9834 on the F4
63032 15X Greenbelt
-saw 9719 on the C2 but didn't know it was it. First saw it at the light near Beltway Plaza, couldn't see the number and didn't see its telltale sign, so I assumed it wasn't it. Then as it rounded the corner, entering the bus bays, knew it immediately, but couldn't get my camera out in time. Then for a while it just parked there, so I thought, I could get a pic, but as soon as I pulled out my camera, it took off.
-a loud 9833 on the R12
4392 B30 BWI
9952 17 Pataspco
9953 14 Annapolis(All I have seen on this route is NABIs, have never seen a Flx or Neo, why is that?)
Annapolis Transit Chance RT-52, 68 Gold A,Annapolis Mall
-crappy, piece of junk, needs to be scrapped immediately(or sold to THE BUS-and they will buy them)
-there was an altercation on another route with some teenagers over a fare dispute with one teen putting a popsicle stick in the farebox(really old school farebox-trust me's). cops were called.
AT 104 to Spa Road Transfer Center Route Red
-their SLFs are getting crappy and I think they are fairly new
AT 102 Green to....Spa Road Transfer Center
-Should have stayed on but thought route was going back the same way, which caused me to barely miss the 4:50pm 14 back to Patapsco, which was on time, but the 5:30pm bus wasn't
0072 14 Cromwell
7012 LRS North Linthicum
0270 LRS BWI(wish it was 8737-one of their few L-10 Flxs, that went to Cromwell
4391rehab B30 Greenbelt
4267 R12 New Carrolton(missed the last F14)so
Orange line 4089 lead to Landover
8824 A12, somewhere close to home
Sheesh, how lame can you get. Damn suburban thugs....
Is this the type of farebox where one just shoves dollars and coins down a long tube, where you show the driver what you're paying and then he marks it off? (Bee-Line buses operated by PTLA Enterprise, Inc. have this type of farebox on both the cutaway buses and the 30 foot Orion V buses, not like the GFI Cents-a-Bill on the Liberty Lines 40 foot buses and artics.)
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Deciding to ride the privates yesterday: I started by taking the L shuttle one stop south to New Lots Ave. As soon as I got downstairs, a JFK bound B15(9074) pulls up. Fairly empty, mostly JFK employees. We pick up more employees at that "other" New Lots Ave Station and continue along our way. Pick up more employees at Elderts Lane and were off. 9074 was doing a decent job along the Conduits and the Expwy. Saw a Q11 go over us on the overpass. I noticed the B15 made two stops in which I though was airport property. I guess the B15 arent allowed to stop at the terminals only. We arrive at Terminal 4 and I was going to ride Airtrain but saw MCI classic on the Q10.
Q10#713:
Bus was hot!!! Writing all over the wall and seats. Bell worked when it wanted to. This bus did keep up with the traffic along North Conduit. All Southbound Q10s were packed!!! All had no A/C as well. I did see a mixture of RTS and Orion Vs on the Q10 line. Arrived at the Kew Gardens terminal and saw about 5 or 6 Q10s waiting to pick up pax. The line was long from the subway entrance. Went around the corner for the Q60.
Q60#240:
Another hot bus. But this bus moved down Queens Blvd. Was about 8 people on the bus. From Kew Gardens to Sutphin Blvd there were no Manhattan bound Q60s to be seen. Got off at Sutphin and walked to Jamaica Ave.
Took Q56#4984 for a few stops then walked back to 160St. Saw a lot of Jamaica Buses RTS but did not ride any. :( :(
At 160St Queens Surface bus 323 was all alone so I snapped a pic of it. After about a 10 minute wait, Orion V 434 arrived. It was operating on the Q65, the route I wanted to take.
Q65#434:
Finally a private bus with A/C. The bus did get crowded in Jamaica, but then quickly emptied at Queens Hospital Center. Nice ride along 164St. Another route where all southbound buses are scattered. Rode 434 into Flushing where I would pick up the Q66.
Q66#600:
Another hot bus. I sat down by a section where there were two open windows. This was not a good move(later). Decent speed along Northern Blvd around Shea Stadium. Bunch of HS chicks. The skies started to get dark and by the time we got to 90St, it opened up. I tried to closed my windows but it was stuck. Good thing the lady next me was getting off. I just slide over. As we approached the Queensbridge area, a couple of regulars on the bus was talking to the B/O, asking about the city takeover. He explained to the them that they was already owned by the city. Their response was, "At least there will be better service, and now I got someone to complain to." The B/O just took that last comment in stride. Got off at Queensbridge and walked to Queens Plz.
Q39#2824:
Yet another hot bus. While waiting on 28St, I noticed a lot of people(mostly females) waiting for the Q101R :(:(. 2824 came around the corner as I previously talked to the driver and he told me where to pick up the bus. This bus route have so much twist and turns, I thought that I would ended up back at QBP. This bus was crowded with mostly JHS kids. Most of the crowd stayed on the entire route, I got off at Putnam Av to catch the B20.
B20#8530:
What a surprise, yet another hot bus. The B/O came down on Forest and saw that I was standing there and waited. I guess the turnaround over by the subway station is kinda tight and congested. We do good along the Summerfield/Schaefer part of the route. It was about 10 people on the bus. At Bwy we followed a Q24 down to Bwy Jct. At Bwy Jct is where we picked up everybody. By this time, another storm was upon us, so windows were closed again. A lady kept asking the B/O to put on the A/C. When he did not respond, she went up to him where she got the no A/C answer. The bus was not all that bad even though there were standees. Decent ride to Livonia, where I get off and proceed home.
I hope the Q10,Q65, and Q66 see better service when the MTA takes it over. As far as the Q10 and Q66 goes, there is serious bus bunching due to the ridership patterns. Overall, I had a good day and will do it again. I did not ride the Jamaica buses and I think I might try to do that next time along with LIBus.
L train#8118
B15#9074
Q10#713
Q60#240
Q56#4984
Q65#434
Q66#300
Q39#2824
B20#8530
I hope the Q10,Q65, and Q66 see better service when the MTA takes it over. As far as the Q10 and Q66 goes, there is serious bus bunching due to the ridership patterns. Overall, I had a good day and will do it again. I did not ride the Jamaica buses and I think I might try to do that next time along with LIBus.
Agreed, the Q65 has been shown to be a unreliable bus. Its a fairly quick route but the waiting times are unbelievable. The Q10 is a cool route [I really like the Conduit JFK branch] and the Q66 is a so-so route.
Believe me , I'm not suprised to hear you say that about the Q65 since that route sucks @ss. The Q39 isn't so bad, except on weekend, however once at 11:00 P.M on a Saturday the Q39 did came for me around 10 mintues which isn't so bad.
Da Hui
1) Is the fare really $6.50 rt from Vince Lombardi with parking and $5 rt without parking?
2) I saw that Neoplans would be phased in on this line. Is the line currently running pure Volvo, D4500s, or a mix of equipment?
3) Does the bus run on the posted schedule or does the route default to load and go operations?
That is the fare I've paid the occasional times I use the line.
[2) I saw that Neoplans would be phased in on this line. Is the line currently running pure Volvo, D4500s, or a mix of equipment?]
Most 321's are Flxible 3000's from Fairview garage. Occasionally, especially in morning rush hours, a Volvo artic can be found. There are also a few morning runs that use buses from Howell garage (presumably after runs from Route 9 to Jersey City or PABT).
[3) Does the bus run on the posted schedule or does the route default to load and go operations?]
My experience is that they usually stick to schedule, although less so in the PM rush.
TransiTALK Update v9.20
All Multimedia Update
13 New Sounds (9 Bus & 4 Rail), 1 New Rail Movie, 5 New Desktop Wallpapers and 8 Bus Roster Updates.
Click Photo Below To Enter Update......
Enjoy!
Regards,
Trevor Logan
Ray
Trevor
Someone said the other day that now that the City has a surplus that the issue isn't money anymore, i.e. the City can buy the Cooper group properties & lease them to the TA.
What ever is going on, as far as planning the take over, is being kept very quite & hasn't gotten down to the folks in the TA who will have to do the work, or they are sworn to secrecy.
Jim D.
So we wait.
There are a whole host of variables/loose ends that are yet to be resolved.
This could play out in four ways:
1. TA supervises by remote control (because they are busy with other stuff)
2. TA sends in a small staff to each deport to be in charge.
3. TA sends in a big staff & starts restructing things in the TA way.
4. TA bites the bullet & makes major changes, e.g. moves NY Bus operation across the street.
Once they tell the union what their deal is, the other ducks will start falling into place, e.g. "privates" in all depots are now in one group, and the ATU folks are in this mix somehow (maybe TA/TWU makes some kind of deal to make them almost TWU). But then they might not do this because what purpose would it serve (route changes/consolidations). I realy dought they'll merge both Local 100 groups up front.
Even though this is speculation, I would suspect that those two operations will need a major restructuring, because of the unique circumstances.
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Just the TA staff members at the privates depots is going to take a big bite out the budget.
This will require a major change of depot assignments for the Bronx depots
Thats my opinion
Thank You
...if Cooper is willing to sell them.
Don't forge that there are several members of the Cooper family, each of whom counts as four employees (one paycheck from each Cooper company). Will Transit have to pay them four salaries?
The TA is going to need to hire some support staff from the privates to sort some stuff out
Keep in mind that there is no legal obligation for MTA to do so.
Compare the DOT bus situation to getting one's roof fixed. If the roofing contractor does a lousy job, the homeowner hires a new contractor. Is the new contractor required to hire the old contractor's employees? Of course not.
Similarly, DOT is simply firing its existing transit contractors (the "private" companies) and replacing them with a new contractor (MTA).
I'll muster up the strenght to put in another 10 years as a TA employee to get the medical benifits when I retire -GRIN-
Now if the "bridge" my "private" tenure, so much the better.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25324-2004May13.html
And rideonrules, I must register at WashingtonPost in order to read and look at the pictures, so didn't see the VanHool bus picture.
I one thing I want to know is that will that third door on the AG330s be removed or kept and hopefully they keep the destination signs. I guess we will see what happens in the next couple of months to a year.
The spring? This spring? Maybe if they start this year, it will start in july for independence day.
http://www.transitgallery.com/showalbum.php?aid=329&uuid=11
Now as i'm sitting behind a bus at a red light.....I could really go for a bud. :)
That said, it seems to work on the RGRTA buses, given their livery.
In '99 I remember philly was top in tobacco consumption. And I'm not sure the ranking for alcohol, but there are in the top 10 for bar density.
So waht's prohibiting it going to do? I would say go with it!
I don't have a link to the story, but the anchorman was reporting that due to delays in manufacturing busses, the MTA won't be able to provide new busses for the private companies it wishes to absorb in July for another 9 months. If that means from July, we're looking at April 2005 at the earliest according to this report.
What was interesting was that the news story also reported that 600 busses are on order.
But I thought it was more like 425? Maybe they mean another 600 to add to the 400 something already ordered? The news story was not clear since the reporter said all of this very quickly.
No new news here.
David
However, I am still confused. How did the number jump to 600? Wasn't there a news story a few weeks back that said the MTA was purchasing 400 something busses? Is that 400 something in addition to this 600? Just wondering.
Could Take Months For MTA To Replace Aging Buses
MAY 14TH, 2004
It could be February before the MTA replaces hundreds of aging private buses.
The MTA is moving forward with plans to absorb the city's seven private bus lines by July 1st.
The agency has said it will replace 600 buses.
But at a City Council hearing Thursday, officials said because of manufacturing constraints, it will be at least nine months before new buses hit the road, and up to two years for delivery of all 600.
David
orion VII
MCI
or NFI artics if NYCT can convice them to keep the line running for a few more buses
David
Since the City does not own them, yes, unless NYBS wants to donate them to the MTA.
5326 has graffitti all over it- On the trailer by the back doors, and a big tag on the ads and a little on the windows. It has also been vandalized on the inside by your lovely Gun Hill employees, in magic marker behind the driver reads "God bless america" and under that "NO PHONES". Interior coach numbers are written in white out, and one of the windows is scratched up to the point of being opaque.
This bus would have made for some nice photos, except that my phone died this morning, so I spent the day without a (pretty crappy, even by cam phone standards but it's a 2 year old phone so hey) camera phone and watch...
Bx31 # 7726
TAKE CARE OF YOUR ARTIX GH AND KB!!!!!! YOU DEPOTS SUCK @$$ AS IN THE WORDS OF DA HUI!!!!!!!!! (well, KB at least takes cares of their RTSs)
Let's just review some things here:
KB only puts vandal shield on some of their windows on some of their buses. NovaBUS RTS #9656 once had a failed transmission and was held up for a few minutes on Kappock Street. NovaBUS RTS #8876 has a missing clearance lamp cap. New Flyer D60HF Articulated #5716 has a slanted frontal route/destination sign. One Artic (A 2003/2004 MODEL, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD) has scratchitti ALL OVER its rear windows (including the rear door windows). New Flyer D60HF Articulated #5470 has an improperly sized "5" as its left side number sticker. Another D60HF has A MISSING BELT LINE on the front half.
For a neighborhood without much crime, KB does quite a bad job of representing the personality of their home neighborhood.
>I HATE YOU, KB!!!! YOU SUCK @$$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You won't believe how happy/grateful I am that mom and I go down to Manhattan every other Saturday so I can get my pix of the sexy-looking, scratchitti-free, properly cleaned, cream-filling-in-the-bellows buses that they call "sexy Artix". ;-)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Da Hui
Sorry, I forgot: "Don't mess with Da Hui or Da Hui will mess with you"'
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
1996 Nova RTS: 9230 - NIS
David
Hence my calling them "GMC/MCI" instead of simply "MCI."
David
Tomorrow, waking up at the break of dawn to get ready for work and view what I can of the bus barrage that will be going up and down my street.
BTW I heard that serveral THE BUS vehicles crashed at the MVA when they saw that Connector Orion V. They didn't believe anything like that existed that wasn't WMATA's. They haven't seen Ride On's buses since they don't terminate where Ride On does.
This is the only Q37 that I know of.
Ray
Was there ever a "Q17A" bus that ran on the present Q30 route? In one of the older bus maps I have, they make mention of this bus. I probbaly saw a "7" left behind from those days...
Another sign at 51st & Roosevelt showed that it was a bus stop for the B32. There's no such route!
Finally, I spotted a bus stop sign at 111th Street & Jamaica Avenue, which showed that it was a bus stop for the B37. Didn't know the 3rd Avenue bus served Richmond Hill as well as Sunset Park, did you?
Tow Pet Peeves
1.) Bus pulls up to stop boards 4 quicks passengers then waits 2 minutes for passenger to gather packages from bus bench then boards bus. (Southbound #35 at 35th Avenue/Bethany Home Road 1700h)
Q. Do you hold bus for passenger or leave passenger for next bus at 1728h?
2) Westbound Buses arrive on time at 1759h and 1810h however 1806h does not arrive until 1834h, all 3 buses are on the same route originating from the same start point. (Route 41 from Loloma Station Scottsdale Westbound on Indian School Road arriving at Desert Sky Mall)(1759 Holds until 1814 the departs eastbound, 1810 goes out of service to garage and 1806 continues west to EMCC)?
Q. 1st and 3rd Buses Ontime 2nd runs 28 Minutes Late, how or why is this possible (Several Regular passengers for the 1806 say this bus is late everyday M - F), same route?
Ride On Roster:
1979-81 TMC T-30 City Cruiser: #5102-5256 (Later Rehabed to 5400s, Retired)
1984 BIA Orion 01.502: #5257-5297 (Retired)
1988-89 Gillig Model 3096TB "Phantom": 5300-5356 (Being Replaced)
1990 BIA Orion 01.502: #5500-5501
1991 BIA Orion 01.502: #5502-5526
1992 BIA Orion 01.502: #5527-5538, 5540-5545
1993 BIA Orion 05.504: #5546-5547
1993 Flxible Model 40102-6CTG "Metro D" LNG: #5700-5703 (Converted to Diesel)
1994 Gillig Model 3596TB "Phantom": #5360-5362
1995 Gillig Model 3596TB "Phantom": #5363-5377
1995 OBI Orion 06.501 CNG Low Floor: #5801-5802 (Ex #5570-5571)
1996 Gillig Model 3596TB "Phantom": #5378-5397
1996 OBI Orion 05.503: #5550-5566
1996 OBI Orion 05.503 CNG: #5567-5569
1997 Gillig Model 35TB96 "Phantom": #5400-5409
1998 OBI Orion 05.503: #5572-5579
1999 Gillig Model 35TB96 "Phantom": #5410-5423
1999 OBI Orion 05.501: #5705-5725
1999-2000 OBI Orion 05.501 CNG: #5803-5822
2001 Trolley Enterprises Replica Trolley Coach: #5297-5299
2001-02 El Dorado Aero Elite: #5101-5181, 5201-5212
2003-04 OBI Orion 07.502 CNG Low Floor: #5900-5937
Hope That Helps A Little
Regards,
Trevor Logan
www.transitalk.info
Ride On Photos
5100-Diesel cutaways
5200-Gas cutaways
5300-Diesel 30ft + 35ft (last of the 30ft is being retired)
5400-Diesel 35ft
5500-Diesel 30ft + 35ft
5600-Diesel 35ft
5700-Diesel 40ft
5800-CNG 40ft
5900-CNG 35ft Low Floor
So our next order or 2 of Orion VII's will continue the 5900 series since they are CNG and 35ft.
I'll be first to admit our numbering system is messed up. LOL
year 2000 and up 40fters (including lowfloor Orion VIs, New Flyer C40LFs, and the standard floor Orion Vs) seem to be in the 2000s
Flxibles started somewhere in the 8000s and just kept on going.
Eh, that's what I've got so far - still learning!
Route Changes 5/15/2004
Due to the 5K Race on Saturday May 15th, passengers will encounter some detours on QM2, Q25 and Q65 routes beginning at 7:30am and continuing throughout the race. Signs will be posted.
Exactly what led up to 5407 (one of the 1999-2000 buses) being redone into pretty much one of the new 2003 Artics? Did something major happen to it, like a big accident, or was it a prototype for something?
P.S.: KB and GH suck @$$ (well, at least KB takes care of their RTSs)!
Once again, I say that I am grateful that I get most of my artix pix in Manhattan from the best depot in NYC, the MJQ depot.
Not only does KB do all those things I griped about, they also forget to put the reflectors on their mirrors.
A reason I will always like trainz better than busez.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
I would like to know why are there 2 buses covering one 127 trip and can't they make the 2nd 127 depart Trenton at 6:30 PM?
B1-#9231-NOVABUS
M1-#222-Orion V
BX19-#1098-NEW Flyer D60
BX2-#5442-NEW Flyer D60
Regards,
Kevin
Da Hui
Thank You
This is not the first time a L line GO has been cancelled because of someone mishap.....
Regards,
Kevin
interesting stuff
COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are the orange signs LEDs (like the late 2003/2004 New Flyer D60HF Articulateds) or flip-dots? TIA.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
http://www.transitgallery.com/data/fe9fc289c3ff0af142b6d3bead98a923/280_p11238.jpg
http://www.transitgallery.com/data/fe9fc289c3ff0af142b6d3bead98a923/280_p11239.jpg
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Correction:
BTW: In case you don't know yet, type this to turn a link into a hyperlink: <a href=url goes here>caption goes here</a>
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Shuttle buses were operating between Bedford Ave, Lorimer Street and the Hewes Street J/M Station
Thank You
I wonder how much this cost the TA this time
Thank You
I know this is BusTalk.
Most of the work was picked up by 100th street and Quill. Also, Manhattanville was in on it, even an MCH Orion V. It was interesting to see an Orion V in RTS and D60 territory.
A few pics:
100th Street Artic:
Manhattanville Nova RTS:
Enjoy!
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
JD
Also, Orion V question. Every Orion V that I know of past 1992 has a sliver behind the driver's window, however, NYCTA's windows are bigger than that. Are the driver compartment for these Orion's smaller than the rest? (I think that's what contributes to the sliver on WMATA's and Ride-On's and DASHs and...alright, let's just say DC Transit's Orion Vs (post 1995, of course - the 1992 ones for WMATA don't have a sliver, just slightly larger).
Thanks for any info - I should go up to NY one day.
The routes are:
Bx15-from West Farms Depot-operates Orion Vs & VIIs CNG, RTSs, and a few New Flyer D60 Artics.
M60-from Mother Clara Hale Depot-operates Orion Vs, VIs & VIIs-HEV
M100-from Kingsbridge Depot-operates RTSs, TMCs, NovaBuses
M101-from 100th St-operates New Flyer D60 Artics exclusively.
For MCI's the best place to find them 7 days a week is on 5th Ave in Manhattan from 57th on south. There are almost a dozen commuter express routes to Bklyn and Staten Island that travel this street-most are rush hour only. However, you can catch the X1, X10, X17, X27 & X28 all day, seven days a week.
For New Flyer C40LFs and Orion V CNGs which only operate on routes from the Jackie Gleason Depot, one of the best places to find them is in Downtown Bklyn-corner of Jay St-Smith St & Fulton St. You will find these buses on the B61, B65, B67, & B75. If you go one block south to Smith & Livingston Sts, you can grab the B37 as well.
As for the X51, this bus operates west along 34th St from the 2nd Ave to 6th Ave, then north along 6th Ave to 57th St, then east along 57th St to 2nd Ave then on into Queens. I am not sure, but I think this bus operates rush hours only, but I know that it operates weekdays only.
I hope this helps.
The Vikings run on the X51, right?
Thanks for your help! Do any of these connect with the L?
Hopefully I'll find my way up to New York one day, maybe this summer for a day of transit fanning (where can you get a daypass metrocard?)
Well, if you are a member of the human race, you should fit right in just fine. Furthermore this is 2004-get a grip and give it a rest.
As far as the X51, I don't know if the Vikings are still in service. Last that I heard, two were OOS, but 1 was active and that was about a couple of weeks ago. However if they are active, they only run on the X51.
Kingsbridge depot is okay, but as you can see those idiots forget to put mirror reflectors on their D60HFs, and Gun Hill is no better (even though that Orion V #195 looked fine).
For the artix, use the MJQ depot which maintains those routes I told you about in the first paragraph. MJQ is the best in NYC.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
As far as Artics goes, 126th and 100th St Depots are just as good at maintaining their fleets as MJQ.
However, I must admit, Kingsbridge need work. I have rode on them twice within the last 2 months. While definately not a frequent rider, but the two times that I have rode their artics, it was a culture shock.
I am not used to riding MTA buses with scratched up windows, graffiti and garbage all over the place.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
But is WF better? Most of the Bronx depots suck @$$ (i.e. Gun *Cough Cough* Hill and Kings *Cough Cough* bridge).
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
As far as MJQ being better than WF, I don't know. I have ridden several buses from WF (only on the Bx15) and I have not witnessed any neglect on their buses. I can't see why WF would treat the Bx15 better than any of it's other routes.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Alots of New Flyer 60LFs are rolling!! To see live shuttles:
http://www.transitgallery.com/buscam.php
Photo 1: Wow, what damage. Was it engine-related?
Photo 2: Heh, shows what happens when you mess with the RTS. :)
Photo 3: I'm still wondering how that truck wound up like that.
The second one looks like Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing between Main and Union Streets.
I have no idea about the third.
About pic 2: Can I order an RTS sandwich with lettuce, onions, and tomatoes?
About pic 3: The picture says it all---no comment here!
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta)
Boarded Q8, paid with one card for both myself and a relative, but read error with the same card upon transfer to the Q31. I understand that the DOT bus fare is only $1.50, which is still good to transfer to a city bus, but there's no reason for it to act crazy if I put two transfers on it.
Boarded F train and paid fare, I checked to see that $2.00 were taken off the card. At the B82, the woman in front of me didn't have any money on her card. The machine said "Add $2.00." She stepped aside and so I put my card in (not for her, just for me) expecting the transfer. It took off another fare. Did the farebox think that I was her? That shouldn't have mattered though b/c it was a different card, WITH A TRANSFER ON IT.
Just getting my daily post runs.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
I felt sorry for the driver of our bus, she probably lost a good part of her layover at FTC.
On an Off-topic note- Smarty Jones won the Preakness today. You should have seen how he pulled away from the pack down the stretch!
Chuck Greene
I think at Norristown a Neo beat a NABI up the hill to Airy St (unfortunately, bus races can't be held up that hill anymore (between the 98 and 96) because a) the buses are too wide nowadays and b) there's this dumpster that goes out into the road kinda.)
Chuck Greene
Buses rode today
2:43 5758 M14D
6:48 105X M14D
7:13 1016 M102
7:54 527 QM1A
8:30 510 Q46
The 1999 Orion V's, the '93 Orion repowers, the '95 Orion CNGs, the NF Artics and the C40LF's as well as the 2000-2004 LIB Orions do sound vastly different from the inside with their a/c's running. It is a low-pitched growling sound, which is a very wierd dynamic, in that, these buses sound relatively normal from the outside.
The last group of buses that did this were the TA 8000 fishbowls with the "bat wings". It their case it was a low pitched "hummmm". In fact, the last time I checked, MTA museum bus 8466 still has working air conditioning, which means the "hummmm" sound is present on that bus to this day!
Good job in picking that up.
Mark
http://www.glue.umd.edu/~ckder/OrionV_AC.mp3
http://www.glue.umd.edu/~ckder/OrionV_NoAC.mp3
Also, for Ride-On's 2001 Orion Vs, there is this lovely sound that reminds me strongly of their Orion Is, one of the reasons I like them oh so much.
It's summer time!
Maybe it's a Thermo King thing?
Ah well, back to the drawing board. Today I had the pleasure of riding a Dorado with the a/c on, and got to hear that lovely deep hum that made me like these buses 3 years ago the first time I rode one.
What you might be hearing is the addition of the HVAC Compressors, also a new fuel or air filter can alter the sound of a bus easily.
If there is a blow out of a engine, it would be replaced with a DDC Series 50 EGR version, but even then it wont alter the sound that much to really notice the difference.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
www.transitalk.info
All of the MTA's New Flyr D60HF Galaxy Articulateds are powered by Detroit Diesel Series 50s and Allison Transmissions.
#1000-1109 are Detroit Diesel Series 50 DDEC III /Allison B500R World Transmission. #5250-5509 are Detroit Diesel Series 50 DDEC IV /Allison B500R World Transmission. #5510-5769 are Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR DDEC IV / Allison B500R WTEC Transmission.
The only Series 60 powered Articulateds in the NYC Area are Bee Line's Neoplan AN-460 Transliner Articulateds which are Detroit Diesel Series 60 EGR DDEC IVs with Allison B500R WTEC Transmission. New Jersey Transit's Neoplan AN-459 Transliner Articulateds are CAT C-9 Engines with ZF Ecomat HP-592 Transmission.
Regards,
Da Hui
Since Trevor is in my "Favorite SubTalkers" book as Operational Engineer II, now he is in my book as The 795! :-)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Take a couple of more shots before riding 511 and its pretty congested on Cross Bay at first but then everything goes well afterwards to B 98 St then I see 4575 so I get on that for my 1st round trip. The best ride of the day for me all around so then these dumbass teens have to show off themselves and act stupid on the bus, causing unnecessary noise briefly but then its all good to Rockaway Blvd and I take my second RT. I let the Orion go and board 8257, which was the next bus to come by, good at first but went kinda slow by time we were in Broad Channel and then I just get on 568 for the trip back to Rockaway Blvd and its a good ride. To my surprise, I saw a bus with S to Rockaway Blvd, cool. Waited about 10 minutes for the Q11 to arrive and for ONCE I had a GBL bus with decent A/C, 290. We head north via Woodhaven and all is well until we notice that the back door doesn't work and plus people need better hygiene and move to the back of the bus, shit!
This one lady got very frustrated at people hogging all of the room in the front and I just shook my head b/c of this incompetence. Anyway got off at the last stop, walked over Queens Blvd, got some ice cream then boarded 10001 on the Q60 and this bus was very hot with all of the windows open. An interesting sight was with one of the windows missing the Excel sliding piece YET the window as still able to slide!! Bus got cooler as we traveled then got off at 60 St, hopped on 5678 on the M15 and rode it south with lots of traffic on 2 Av to Delancey St to wait for the B39. I notice that the L shuttle bus in Manhattan was running from Essex St to 8 Av/14 St and I saw 5180,5554 & 8615 there. Then I get on 9586, quick ride over the Willy-B then I ride 8024 on the B46 LTD and just made 800 on the B8 to finish my trip.
Some observations:
-Saw two Classics, 711 & 715 on the Q7 and Q41 respectively.
-The bad conditions of GBL just piles up. In addition to the defects I stated earlier, at least 3 buses had paper signs.
-More ex-QV 9200's are now at Jamaica.
A few pics to come later on.
The buses I saw. Enjoy.
QV: 506,511,520,8257,8352,8369,8372,8375,8378,8393,9362,9365,9373
CS: 288,298,309,568,571,634,636,641,642,669,670,677,6123,6134
JAM: 4575,8954,8956,8960,8962,8972,9255,9259,9268,9291,9543,9551,9556,9565,9566
R68A 5104 (Q)
R42 4556 (M)
R42 4761 (M)
RTS 4647 B54
R143 8266 (L)
R44 5279 (A)
O5 511 A SHUTTLE
RTS 4575 A SHUTTLE
RTS 8257 A SHUTTLE
O5 568 A SHUTTLE
GBL RTS 290 Q11
GBL RTS 10001 Q60
NF Artic 5678 M15 LTD
RTS 9586 B39
RTS 8024 B46 LTD
NF 800 B8
Enjoy!
The fourth pic was taken on the Cross Bay Blvd. (A) station where you could you're looking at the Dunkin Donuts on Rockaway Blvd. and Woodhaven Blvd.
Where was the first pic though? It looks kind of like Myrtle Av. under the (M), but Orions don't exist there.
"You were standing where the B13 and B52 stops" is what I meant to say.
Da Hui
First off came Bladensburg, 2378 was the first bus
Then came up Landover and some nopowers, 97s and their 98 surburbans
Then Arlington, Royal, Northern and Four Mile Run
I left for work before seeing Annex, Western, Southern and Montgomery, which from what I have seen and heard no sign of 9719. Maybe that will be seen tomorrow, by then it will look halfway like a Neoplan ;D.
David
Presumably NYBS would have to charge more for a Fisbowl than a school bus. Would the schools be willing to pay extra. Also would Mr. Arrigoni want to go into the charter bus business and rent out to various groups and tour operators?
Is a seperate license or permit needed for charter work, would he have to get an ICC license to take the buses out of NYS (and at what cost?). Would his insurance increase and could he get enough revenue from the charters to cover any additional costs?
Personally I think the Q9/9A, Q19/19B,Q103,Q112 and maybe a few others
David
That is (or should be) the definitive answer to everybody's questions.
However, I am curious. What your reasons why you feel the need to discontinue the routes I just mentioned?
the Q112 because the Q8 is very close to it except on South Rd
and the Q112 has less people on its buses compare to the Q8
and the 9A because it runs almost every 60 mins
someone could already get to their distination by then
2) The Q112 will not be changed. NYCDOT puts certain buses on a greatly reduced schedule if they believe they are useless.
3) The Q9 will not be changed, but the Q9A might, since it involves one bus and one driver. We don't know and the people who do aren't speaking.
4) Any credible transfer information will come from one of about 10 people on this board. I do not belong to this group of 10, but I am sure that at least one will share the goodies with me when they get it. These people will not post anything until it's double checked and approved. Until then, assume that all routes will run on July 1st, all the buses won't have blue stripes, and the Fishbowls are done. I can almost guarantee the first and I definitely can guarantee the last two.
I'm usually one of the 10 people. Unfortunately, my colleagues and I still don't have sufficient "security clearance" to know the whole NYCT-DOT story (we ask five people and get eight wrong answers), so all my information comes from the newspapers.
[These people will not post anything until it's double checked and approved.]
In my case, I won't post anything on Bus/SubTalk until it's actually made public (e.g. by being included in a pick).
No drivers are going to lose their jobs because of any route changes.
If anything more drivers will be needed in order to have the DOT routes come up to MTA guidelines and current contract regulations involving swings,reports and clearing times
Thats my opinion
Thank You
Changing how the route goes, but keeping it out of the same depot & maybe adding service wouldn't be a problem.
The Local 100 folks have been told that they will be able to follow their jobs, so if it move to an existing TA depot the TA & Local would have to get into it, I dought they want to that at this point.
Interesting is that Command Bus and Green Bus Lines are both ATU companies
Interesting is that Command is located in Brooklyn which is TWU and civil service
Interesting is that Jamaica Bus Inc. routes may end up in the Queens Division of the TA which is ATU and civil service
The only thing that Local 100 can say is that the union members of Jamaica Bus,Queens Surfice,Triboro Coach and those from Liberty Lines Express and New York Bus Service who chose to work for the MTA is that they will have a job. That's it period. They could end up in Queens, Manhattan or the Bronx but no way can say a Queens Surfice driver who works the Q-67 can follow that route if its moved to Fresh Pond Depot(Which i believe will happen)
Thats my opinion only and its my speculation
Thank You
Union 101 = put it on a flyer, say it at a meeting, leak it to the press ... opps that's Management 101 too !
The parties aren't talking much, so the union is posturing.
Union 102 = The one who talks to the troops will be who they listen to & believe. When I went for a shop steward to a supervisor I remembered that, so I became the one with the information who got it to the troops FIRST. There are always two sides to the story, so who are you going to believe, the one who gets there first has it easy, #2 has a uphill battle.
The Q112 also carries a sizable amount of passengers and also, doesn't the Q112 have faster headways than the Q8.
1-That Triboro Route Q-53 will be consolidated with Green Line Route
Q-21
2-That Triboro Route Q-19 will be consolidated with Queens Surfice Route Q-103
3-That Queens Surfice Route Q-34 will be discontinued to 149th Street with additional service being added to the Q-25 route. Service between Main Street/Rooservelt Avenue to 149th Street/Willets Point is provided by the Q-14
4- That Command Route B-100 will be consolidated with the B-2
5- That Green Line Routes Q-9A and Q-10A will be discontinued
6- That Green Line Routes Q-22 and Q-22A will be consolidated
Thats my opinion only. Any comments
Thank You
11extended to Otis/60 Av. To replace 38
New Ridgewood-Flushing service From Myrtle-Wyckoff via Palmetto, Gates, Forest Av. and Eliot to Queens Center, and then via Borden Av. (LIE service road) to College point Blvd, and then via the existing 58 route to Flushing.
58, continues down Fresh Pond Rd. and then pick up the current B13 route to Jamaica Ave and terminate. From 108th St., possibly reroute to more direct route to Flushing via Roosevelt Av.
B52 extended down Gates; picks up B13 route to Fresh Pond Rd. and terminates.
If new route above is not approved, then an alternative is to reroute 58 via Borden Ave. (LIE service road) from 69th St. to 108th St. A new service would take over the Corona Avenue segment.
18switches with 45 south of 69th and Calamus Av. to 80th St. and Eliot; then extended via Eliot to 69th, then via 69th to Metropolitan Av., then to the Metropolitan Av. M station.
45 switches to 18 route to Grand Ave. then follows current 58 route to Ridgewood.
New service would run from Queens Plaza via Queens Blvd. To Van Dam, then to Review St., 56th Av., Rust St., Flushing Av. To Metropolitan Av. then via current B38 Grandview loop to Seneca, (B38 Stanhope branch to Metropolitan would be discontinued, and all would continue via Seneca Ave.);
then to Gates or Palmetto, then Myrtle-Wyckoff terminal.
B13 reroute via old 18 more direct route via Cypress Av. and Cypress Hills St. Perhaps redesignate as 18
Or, 39 would originate at Myrtle Wyckoff, then via Seneca, Stanhope, Grandview/Woodward loop, Flushing, to 60th St. and 59th Dr. to Rust St. then via 56 Dr. to 48 St., then current route to Van Dam St.; then reroute via Queens Blvd. To Queens Plaza, then terminate at Courthouse Sq. 7 station, instead of terminating and originating at Queens Plaza, then going out of the way to Courthouse Sq. en route. 45 would pick up current 39 route via Eliot and Forest, and B26 or B54 would pick up 58 route via Madison to Fresh Pond and terminate.
Or, look at way to combine 39 and 67; eliminated route would be moved to become the new service via Queens Blvd, Van Dam, Review and 56 Dr.
55 extend to Jamaica-Van Wyck E station, or via Hillside to Sutphin Av. or 165th St. terminal.
60 Limited stops; articulated buses
10 Increase service; articulated buses, if possible.
RENUMBERING OF VASTLY DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF ROUTES;
Current———————Suggested
10A———————50 0r 110
19A———————49
19B———————89
65A———————64
101R——————100
Available Queens route numbers
49, 50, 51, 52, 57, 61, 62, 63, 64, 68, 70, 71, 73, 78, 80, 81, 82, 86, 87, 89-100, 105-110
There IS a Q110 you know...
Read the Queens Bus Map more often.
To be continued....
The Q11 extension would be to replace the 38 east of the mall (is that what you meant by 39?) The 58 passes nearby, and I considered merging them, but for now, I'm trying to leave people with the same level of service as they have now. In the public input process, they could determine if service could be cut or merged.
The Q-11 is whats called a feeder route because it feeds the following subway stations
1-Rockaway Blvd on the A Line
2-Woodhaven Blvd on the J/Z Line
3-Woodhaven Blvd on the G/R/V Line
In addition it has major traffic generators such as Queens Center Mall.
There is no need to modify the Q-11
Thats my opinion
Thank You
The 58 wouldn't run on Jamaica Av, just terminate there like the 18 used to. The purpose of that was to replace the 13's service from Fresh Pond to Cypress Hills.
B13- No, No, No, No, No, No, No!!! The B13 is fine the way is. This is by far one useful routes that Ridgewood residents have. It doesn't need to be changed
Almost a Half an hour from Palmetto to Jamaica! a long out of the way route through tight streets, hard turns, heavy traffic and parking. This is the epitome of what makes travel through, from and to Ridgewood so HORRIBLE! I was upset that they kept that route but eliminated the more direct B18, though I could see that the 18 was badly underused, but then if they had simply extended it to Spring Creek and cut back the 13, then perhaps it would have done better. So simply splitting it, with Williamsburg-Wyckoff area riders getting direct service via Cypress, and Freh Pond riders having their own service through the cemetary, all would be served.
B52- Why? Most Ridgewood residents can just take the Q58 or (M) to get to where they need to go. Most people around Fresh Pond Rd. use the (M) station anyway. A 67Av./Fresh Pond Rd terminal is crappy, Why? Because it's too small of an area to have buses terminating there, buses won't even be able to get into FP Depot!
Well, I'm taking away Wyckoff-Fresh Pond routes, so I wanted to replace them. (Same with 18). We certainly don't need that reduced. But the slow path through that area would be better served with a route that ends there, and does not have to be depended on to leave the neighborhood to places like Cypress Hills or other parts of Queens. Plus it would be better for the drivers, who wouldn't have to deadhead, or pick up the run enroute (saves riders a minute or two). It would just use the existing stops on Putnam and 67th. Many buses park in the area for a while anyway.
Q18- This one doesn't sound too bad, but I don't think there is enough ridership to make this change possible.
This was to replace the Eliot branch of the 38, in case residents over there would complain about the loss of direct service (West of the cemetary would be handled by the new 38 loop). If there is not emough riders, and people don't complain, then scrap the idea; keep the current terminal that the 45 now uses.
Q45- No, like I said before the Q58 can't really be change for the better. It doesn't need to go Metro Av.
I did this so Ridgewood could get the direct service to the Roosevelt Av/74th St. transit hub. You live in Ridgewood? You should know how hard it is to get to many of these places and corridors from here.
Q39- From Cooper Av.(current terminal) have continue until Cypress Av., go on Cypress Av. to Myrtle/Wyckoff
That would be another out of the way path. I considered making it go across to Jamaica Av., but then I would want to move it to Fresh Pond, and move the 58 or extended 45 go down Forest to Cooper. Ialso looked at merging the Cooper service with the Cypress Hills bound service, but I tried not to change those largely residential routes too much. They might object to having new service to certain areas.
Q55- No, Q55 has too many problems, this would just make it worse.
And one of those problems to me is cutting off before it reaches Jamaica, or even the E line. All of the lines that do go through to Jamaica, you have to take something else to get to. The more transfers, the more chance of missing things, etc. and the longer it takes. That's one of the many things that make it look like Ridgewood was deliberately boxed up and cut off from the rest of Queens.
Whatever "problems" you're thinking of, if they extended it, perhaps more people would ride, and then they would be motivated to improve service. (Like running more buses rush hours, instead of waiting until it is packed from the people coming from the L).
Second, the Q10 and Q60 would be EXCELLENT choices for artic buses BUT I don't know if the Q10 can make the right turn off Queens Blvd onto 83rd Av going towards JFK Airport. Also, I'm not totally sold on the Q60 with artics on 139th St between Jamaica and Archer Avs. If so, then BRING THEM ON!!! Also, I've never been on the Q11 but it could use some artics as well.
The Q55 has been talked about for I don't know how long. Leave the Q55 alone. It was talked about extending it to Jamaica Hospital via Hillside Av but it's termination was a problem...I think.
In terms of renumbering....
There is ALREADY a Q110. Check the Queens Bus Map.
Basically, just wait for about another month and then ALL of your questions OR suggestions will be answered!
Ray
Yes let the Q59 service the 62nd Drive Branch of the Q38.
The actual Q38 should be as follows start at Eliot Ave/60th Pl the right on 60th Pl, right on Metro then follow Q38 Juniper route to 63rd Drive to QB then right on QB to Jewel Ave to Q65A route to 164th Street (This one sounds too far fetched, this one may draw critiques)
B52- goin down Gates that is Torture for the street pavement and its too small for a nightmareish 8 mins interval bus up and down the street.
B57 extend please to 69th Street/LIE
Q18 should go down 69th Street to Metro Sta. Q67 rerouted
Q19 give this a Bronx terminal to Yankee Sta next to Bx13 bus stop on Jerome Ave (this sounds crazy but this sould be trial for a few months) if not then merge with Q103. If not this bus then use Q101 Rikers route to service this.
Q39- Dont touch this it is useful as is
Q43- Extend to Myrtle Ave/ Hillside many will use this bus.
Q55- Extend to Jamaica but not the 165 Term maybe Jamaica/Van Wyck
Q53- Discontinue service to Woodside terminate at 74th Terminal and move terminal to Beach 116th Boardwlk Q21 Terminal Limited Liberty Ave - Q Blvd
Q58- just let it go to Main St/ Roosevelt Ave using the Q48 stop 3 block extension
Q60 use LTD short turn at 33rd Street or Qns Plz
Q67 route to Queens Center Mall via LIE (this is really Crazy)
Q104 and B24 there is a barrier on Qns Blvd/ 48th Street that separates them what can be done?
now how bout those Express routes which one are staying which ones are going here is one:
X51 to service the QM3 Branch to Little neck keeping same hours
As for express routes, the main changes I have in mind would be to reroute all of the former Command routes from Cortelyou to Beverley, then straight to Ocean Pkway, and allow them to use that one block of the parkway past Church. Not only are Cortelyou and Church jammed with traffic, but they also are slanted slightly southward, taking you out of the way, slightly. Then the zigzag turning from street to street slows you down too, as also getting off of the Expressway so early (southbound) and winding up on McDonald and Ft Hamilton, then crossing over (no turns are allowed off of the Expwy at church, but they are at Beverley and the other streets). While they're at it, they would also reroute the X29 via Beverley to Ocean Pkwy. The McDonald stop would still be served by whatever van line picked up the old Metro Apple routes, which ran that direction anyway. (I assume they are still running).
To be continued.
Q1 remove from 165th Terminal make route useful and send to Q43 LIRR terminal and move Q43 to Metropolitan Ave- Jamaica Van Wyck make LTD service to Lefferts Blvd weekdays increase LTD service both directions.
Q2/Q3/Q4/Q5 - leave as is
Q6- reroute to Q40 terminal Sutphin- Hillside
Q7- reroute to Jamaica Ave via Rockaway Blvd end to end terminate at Farmers Blvd
Q8- merge with B12 Liberty Ave portion to Broadway Jct
Q9- extend to Cargo Area via Lincoln st- 150th Street
Q9A- reroute to New Lots Ave via Q7 Sutter Ave portion and revive Q21a route via Linden to Brookdale Hospital
Q10 - leave this alone need a schedule adjustment
Q11- rethink all branch service and reschedule with possible Ltd service
Q12- reroute to 108th Street/Roosevelt Ave (I dont know about this one)
Q13,Q14,Q15,Q16,Q17- leave this as is
Q18/Q19 already done
Q19A- need check in ridership
Q19B- move terminal to 108th/Astoria Blvd
Q20- dont touch
Q21- provide local service to compliment the Q53 Ltd kinda like a Bx15/Bx55 thing Q21 doing southern portion and Q11 doing northern end
Q22-Provide service to from one end to the other merge with Bayswater Q22A with additional school trips
Q23- maybe an extension to LGA that is too far fetched
Q24-Q28 dont touch those
Q29- same as other post to merge with Eliot Branch Q38 and serve 74th st Terminal
Q30-Q32
Q33- dont touch this
Q34-Q36
Q37- a feeder route needs new southern terminal
Q38- same as other post
Q39- same as other post
Q40 - reroute to replace 150th street portion of Q7 route
Q41- discontinue route portion pending extension of Q9A on portion of Lindenwood keep route to Lincoln st and reroute instead of using 95th Ave to Atlantic Ave
Q43 move to Jamaica Ave- Van Wyck
Q44 - already done
Q45/Q47 same as other post
Q48 - leave as is
Q49-Q52 renumber a route to this one
Q53- same as other post
Q54 - dont touch
Q55- same as other post
Q58- same as other post
Q59- same as other post
Q65A - merge with Q38
Q72- dont touch this route
Q75-Q79 dont touch those
QM10/11 merge into one route using designation X60
See what we say about this
BIG AL
Ray
Speaking of which should the Q66 be extended down 21st Street to Borden Ave/Vernon Blvd or the Borden Ave turnaround at 5th Street serves F at Qnsbridge, E/V at 23rd Ely, G at Van Alst and 7 at Vernon/Jackson ?
Magic Number : 29
Southbound:
Current route to 43rd Avenue. Left on 43rd Avenue to 50th Street. Right on 50th Street. Right on Roosevelt Avenue. Left on 48th Street to UPS Terminal.
Northbound:
From UPS terminal, left on 56th Road. Left on 50th Street. Left on 55th Avenue. Right on 48th Street. Left on 47th Avenue. Right on 47th Street, continue on current route.
The Q9/Q9A proves to be an excellent route so many. For the Q9, ridership is excellent. I wish I could say the same for the Q9A but I'll ask my mother since she rides that bus to Linden and Guy Brewer.
The Q19/Q19A are excellent routes because they bring people to Queens Plaza. The Q19 is somewhat of a "feeder" route to other bus routes.
The Q112 proves to be a good bus route. Maybe it COULD be extended but overall a good bus route.
Ray
The Q112 would be better if it was extended.
They could extend it to B 116 St using the Q21, and eliminate the Q21.
Or just extend the Q41 to the Rockaways
I did not say to discontinue the Q9, I said the Q9A.
Think about it Midtown to La Guardia
Da Hui
The Q64 would leave the York/60 terminal,follow the M57 till it gets to the bridge entrance between 1 and 2Avs on 57St then cross the bridge,LTD from QBP-82/Roosevelt then local via old Q33 route to LGA.
Da Hui
Da Hui
Da Hui
Not from Midtown and not from the Sunnyside/Woodside neighborhoods.
Only problem with joining Q32 with Q33 would subsequently be adverse affects on reliability of service.
Isn't the Q32 one of the longest (time-wise) routes now operated. By lengthening it to LGA, how much more time will you add to each trip.
How will the drivers have a break or rest area to empty their kidneys.
I think the route would have to be a limited stop or express route otherwise it will take too long and having to take it to LGA to make a plane might be dicey.
Is there a route operated to LGA now? I remember as a child in the 50's, Carey buses used to go there and briefly Olympia bus lines ran one. Does Airport Buses ( affiliate of Private Transport) run one now and could they block it in court?
All food for thought.
Olympia ran to LGA!? Weird! From where? Where else did it stop? From when to when(years)?
It pays to leave the Q-32 and Q-33 status quo
Thank You
And as for the route being to time comsuming thats BS because the Q44
takes the same amount of time or like 5 min less to go to Jamaica from the Bronx
And after the takeover I dont see why they should not let the bus
layover in front of the terminal like the Q33 does
But lets see the bigger picture
A one seat ride to the airport for one fare
Basically you can take the subway from midtown and change at the 74th Street/Rooservelt Ave complex for the bus faster than taking a one seat ride from Manhattan.
A local bus route from Penn Station to La Guardia Airport will take anywhere from 90 minuates to two hours one way.
Thats why in my opinion such a route will not work
Thank You
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
And yes, last time I looked New York Airport Service had a little office on the east side of Park Avenue between 41st and 42d Sts. Ticket machines, schedules, even an agent. I've taken it on weekend or Holiday mornings to LGA and it took 20-25 minutes. A driver told me that even in rush hour traffic you usually make the trip in 45 minutes. Not too bad, really.
One thing, though, I took NY Airport Service one July 4th morning a couple years ago and our bus broke down en route. One of the riders was really giving the driver a hard time. He was telling me (and others) that NY Airport Service was in bankruptcy proceedings, the buses were woefully undermaintained and when you broke down 'help' had to come all the way from a garage in Bklyn. He assured us we'd be sitting a long long time. Actually a relief bus showed up in about 15 minutes.
David
Thats my opinion
Thank You
Really? Yesterday I was checking out and taking pictures of the buses at AAFB. Unknowingly, I stepped out into the middle of the bus pull-up lane, an MP approached me
"You trying to get back to FedEx field?"
"No, I'm just checking out the buses here"
"Oh ok, just step back behind the ropes, I dont want you getting run over"
The MP seemed pretty loose about me checking out the buses and he didn't even question me, and look at what I got out of it http://talk.nycsubway.org/perl/read?bustalk=113839 ;-)
BTW, after giving his presentation speech, the MP onboard my bus from Branch Ave to AAFB was talking to the bus operator and how he drove his 97 MCI down to Texas. "It drove like a dream"
Maybe MPs have a little bit of a BusFan inside them?
BTW 4247 should be a bus of interest, because either the font on that bus's destination sign was programmed to be very large or that is a different LED destination sign. That was a very large SHUTTLE sign, noticeable from about six miles away.
Has the order been completed or are the D60HFs still coming in? If so, which routes/depots are they being assigned to? TIA.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
There are more coming in. Quill is done as far as I know, unless they are planning to articulate another route.
BTW: 5769's LED sign on the front is broken, it has fallen inward.
They're good like that. I bet you feel lucky to have the best depot in NYC as your home depot. :-)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
What's UTC?
BTW: I am happy to see that the crappy-@$$ Kings *Cough Cough* bridge depot will not be getting any more!
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
DNJ
7655-7679, 7682-7683, 7686-7688, 7690-7692, 7713, 7715-7716, 7718, 7720, 7722-7723, 7726, 7728.
Regards,
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
#7655-7683
#7686-7688, 7690-7692, #7713, #7715-7716, #7718-7720, #7722-7723, #7725-7726, #7728, #7730 with Orange or Yellow LED destination signs...right?
Ray
Ray
7748!
WHY IS THAT?
Any information is greatly appreciated.
7561, 7684-7685, 7689, 7693-7712, 7714, 7717, 7719, 7721, 7724, 7727, 7729, 7731-7747.
So to say up to 7760, in bus delivery reality, its not TECHNICALLY gonna happen, however bus 7760 itself MAY appear.
Regards,
The 1999 Novas and Orion V have serious flaw up to and including major Suspension issues. The NJT 1999-2000 Nova order was churned out fast, PURE CRAP. The NJ Neoplan order is being churned fast and those are having MAJOR problems up to and including Panels just falling off.
So I praise New Flyer for taking thier time because as a property I would rather you take your time and things be right, then for you to churn out fast and send me crap.
Granted some of these buses were already manufactured and sitting up at Orion but those were the missing buses between 7655 and 7682. The newer batch sporting the ZF Ecomat HP592 Trannies and Luminator Horizon LED signs are fresh off the production line and are arriving at and alarming rate. I've already spotted some with non-working signs....NOT a good sign. So I wont give Orion credit that quickly.
Regards,
Acela
Regards,
Picture taken today, about 2 hours prior to this post. Heading to Bay Ridge, it still has a Bronx Bus Map in it.
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Left my house a bit late, but I made it in 20 min up to the station. Got the N23 at 10:36. Took it to Mineola, where I picked up the N41 at 11:25. Took that to HTC. Walked over to the Greyhound terminal and picked up a ticket for the 12:00 Shortline. It arrived early, but I think we left on time. Pretty empty, only about 4 other people. Driver was a really nice guy. We talked about photography(I'd been takin pictures galore, I was already on my 2nd 36 shot role by the time his bus got to HTC). The trip was really nice. Bus was very comfortable. We took the HOV lane for most of the trip(we didn't have anyone getting off at Melville, which, going eastbound, is a discharge only stop).
Got to the Islip terminal 15 minutes early. Very small terminal. Not too bad though. I was about to hand in my resume when the ticket agent said the manager would be in later and suggested I just wait and talk to him. Said he wouldn't be back for a while, so I went for some lunch. FYI. Never go to Islip on a sunday! The place is a ghost town. The only thing I could find open was a chinese restaurant(2 pizzaries, a bagel store, and 3 delies, all closed).
Walked back to the terminal and just sat for a while(it was like being in school, spacing out until you're told to do something). The manager came in around 2ish. I helped him and his wife out with unloading some stuff out of his car. We talked for a lil and seemed interested. He left and came back a few times and then we talked some more(at this point, I had missed the 2:30 Adirondack Trailways, which btw, was some weird company. Couley or something like that, purple bus. Go figure).
He took my resume, but said it was doubtful I'd be able to work at Islip, but he could probably get me something at the Brooklyn terminal, which I guess he runs also. It was this that led to a discussion about where I used to live. Turns out he lives in the same neighborhood I did, one building over from me. We talked about who we knew and what not, turns out he knows my mom(well, knows of her).
From there, I got the 3:24 Shortline. Same driver(not suprised). The whole trip we just talked. He's really a nice guy. Going west, we stopped at Melville, where 2 or 3 people got on. Just a small little P&R lot with a bus shelter. No ticket office or nothin. Cash fares from there.
Got to Hempstead on time, or maybe early, idk. I told him bout the site here, hopefully he'll check it out soon. He gave me a roll of film free(thanks alot man!). I'm lucky he did, cuz I got off, took a shot of the bus, and that was it for my 2nd roll of 36. I loaded in the one he gave me, turned around, and saw the greatest site ever. 396 on the N40 parked at HTC! I ran up and as I got closer I saw it was actually 397. I guess this is the first reported sighting of it(aside from when Qtrain said I saw it, lol). The destination sign was flickering. I got a shot of it just as it was pulling away. I turned around and there it was. 396 on the N71 Sunrise Mall. Got a shot of that as it pulled away too. I'm sure both will come out like crap, but w/e.
Got the N15 to RFM and brought my application to Sam Goody. Got back to the bus stop at 10 to 5. Right then I knew I was screwed cuz the 22 wasn't due in til 20 after(meaning only 1 minute between buses at Mineola). I was waitin for that when the N27 pulled up. Got a schedule and was askin the driver if he meets the last N23 at Roslyn, but he didn't know. It was then I turned around to a voice complementing my camera and askin if I was NIMBYkiller. Right away I knew it was Qtrain. I knew one day I'd run into him either there or at HTC. Only talked to him for about a minute when the 22 Jamaica pulled up.
Took about 5 mintues for the N22 to load up. As soon as I saw the line for the bus, I knew I wasn't gonna make the N23. Things would only get worse from there. (mistake #1, getting on the N22 instead of the N27 where I could get the 23 at Roslyn RR or have a cab pick me up for cheaper than from Mineola).
By the time we got to Old Country Rd(now 10 minutes behind schedule), the N23 was supposed to be leaving Mineola. Mistake #2: Staying on til Mineola terminal instead of getting off at Willis Av and running a few blocks up, where I probably could've caught the 23. I missed the N23, last bus of the day. Now that just sucks. lol. Was about to get a cab from there to my house, when I decided to take the train to Roslyn and get a cab from Roslyn, which would've been much cheeper.
Got my ticket as the OB train pulled up. Got on and when the C/R came, I couldn't find my ticket. I think I left it in the TVM. I was certain he would kick me off at East Williston, but thankfully, didn't.
Got off at Roslyn, appologized, and walked over to a taxi that happened to be there. 10 bux to get home from there. Oh well, got to see Naz's house. Forgot to tip the guy though, oops.
All in all, a totally kick ass trip! I can't wait to develop the pics(3 rolls, 2 36s, 1 24).
Hey, Luiz, if you there man, welcome to the boards, and thanks for the film and the great camera advice!
He also told me that the front of the bus we were on was made by MCI, while the rest of it, from the partition between the stairs to the door and the seats is made by Greyhound. Pretty cool.
2 digit numbers - All of the old Brill and St. Louis cars.
3 digit numbers - Mostly Red Arrow/Frontier Fishbowls and Flxibles both 35 and 40 foot buses. 800-909 were the AMG Trolleys in the CTD, 100-128 were the Kawasaki LRV, 130-155 are the N5 Norristown cars, 160-165 were the old 60 series Norristown cars, the 200's were the Bullet cars. The trolley numbers conflicted with the bus numbers in the Red Arrow Fleet until all of the old cars and buses were retired. The high 400's were the ex CTA cars.
11/1200's - Small buses in the CTD [30 & 35 footers]
2000's - The PCC cars. One-man stared at 2000, two man started at 2500. That explains the split in the Air and All electric fleet of cars.
3000's - Retired Green Hornet Buses
4000's - Fishbowls [the 4000's and early 4100's were retired. The rest of the fleet that got rebuilt started at 4150-4427]. In the 80's, the 35 foot RTS were numbered 4458-70, and in 2000, the Eldorados took up the 4500 series.
5000's - The 102" Fishbowls. Non AC 5000-5049, and AC 5050-99
6000's - The CTD Flxibles Red arrow Flxibles were numbered in the 200's, 300's and 400's. [285-94, 300-24, 335-59, 360-408]
7000's - Articulated buses. Volvos 7001-50, and current Neoplans 7101-7255
8000's - RTS and Neoplans. Note the only gap occurred only in the Neoplan fleet, not between the RTS and Neoplans. [RTS 8000-8284, Neoplans started at 8285 and went through 2 models up to 8584. Then the 8000's finished out started at 8601-8875. let's not forget the Volvo freak at 8590, The 35 foot Neos went into the 1300's.
9000's - the current Kawasaki SS cars
When SEPTA got the DK's the numbering system went back to 3000, and the buses were numbered consecutively [3000-3131, 3132-3251, 3252-3371, 3372-3491]
In 1996, SEPTA skipped the 4000 series [because they had those small RTS's in the 4400's] and numbered the NABI's in the 5000 series [5001-5400], and it continues to this day with the New Flyers [5401 and up to a possible 6050]. The Eldorados went into the 4500 series.
When SEPTA introduced the cutaways, they went into the 2000 series. [Although the first Breeze buses had numbers in the 300's. they were renumbered into the low 2000's.]
Now why didn't SEPTA use the 4000-4500 series for any buses?
...
Although the influx of tourists, which grows thick in spring and summer, might irritate the daily commuter, Congress had visitors in mind when it began planning "America's subway" in the late '60s. The system was designed not just to ferry bureaucrats to their government offices, but also to serve as a national example of modern, efficient urban transportation.
...
Recent offenders include 21 fifth-graders from Westview Elementary School near Muncie, Ind., seven New York State Police troopers in gray dress uniforms and the Eichel family of Chapel Hill, N.C.
My personal peeve is not the tourists standing on the wrong side, but the large crowds of them that form at the ends of the escalators. They seem completely obvlivious that dozens of people of minute, for the next several minutes, are coming down that escalator... seems the absolute worst at Pentagon City during tourist season.
I noticed that the wheelchair seats were different from the (dare I say it?) older SEPTA NABI/New Flyer seats in that they appeared to have some sort of latching system to keep the seat down. Curious to see if I was right, I put my foot underneath the seat to see if I could push it up. To my surprise, I heard the special wheelchair chime (two normal dings, then the ding-dong similar to ones on WMATA Metrorail and NYCTA subways, as well as the NABI wheelchair stop request sound - yes, they are supposed to be different than the normal ones when you push the yellow strip). I looked underneath the seat, and discovered this oversized yellow button beneath the seat.
Of course this was before my stop, I apologized and told the driver that I wanted to get off at the school (it was okay, he knows I take his bus to my school anyway - shame on me for taking SEPTA to school so often (as a result of missing/passing up my school bus)).
I wonder if the 5400s-5600s (the Allison New Flyers) have the same or similar feature, as well as the big Neos? I was wondering where the wheelchair stop request thing was for those buses.
Happy busfanning!
SEPTA doesn't provide many shuttles for many events...
Is the Lilac Festival just an average flower show, or is there something more to it than that? (probably if they are running artic shuttles).
Lilac Festival is part of flowers and it also has vendors, music, food, rides, many to name. RGRTA offers free shuttles and they use artics.
You can watch the live bus cam at Bus Cam and make sure watch the first cam and watch it this Satuday the 22nd and Sunday 23rd, you will see artics running every 5-10 minutes from 10a till 8pm.
RGRTA hosts many event shuttles, and it is a big key and help carry people around, a clever move!
Centro does the same thing in Syracuse. I agree that running these services is a smart move, because it can give a positive impression of bus service to thousands of people who otherwise would never set foot inside a bus. For example, Centro runs a huge shuttle operation for the New York State Fair in late August and early September that has grown in ridership every year - it includes a parking lot shuttle that employs 12 to 15 buses at a time and express buses from park & ride lots throughout the greater Syracuse area. You can see anything from Centro's blue early-1990's Orion V's to the newest CNG city buses and MCI commuter coaches in the fleet. Centro also runs the parking shuttles for Syracuse University football and basketball games at the Carrier Dome - the football shuttles often employ several dozen buses at a time. And during various times of the year, Centro will run special buses when conventions are in town to take attendees from the main hall downtown to the hotels located in different parts of the city.
Jim D.
Bus service upgrades to cost $1.5M
By James Goodman
Staff writer
(May 17, 2004) — The Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority today announced a number of initiatives designed to make bus service more customer friendly.
The changes, called the Driving Excellence Initiative, will be implemented during the next 18 months and will cost about $1.5 million.
”We are no longer going to be comfortable with being good,” said Mark Aesch, the chief executive officer of RGRTA.
Each of RGRTA’s 100 busiest bus stops will have a display monitor telling riders when a bus will actually arrive. The monitors will be tied to scheduling software tracking buses.
In upcoming months, riders will be able to click onto www.rgrta.com and find out actual arrival times. And riders will be able to purchase bus passes online that will be mailed to them.
Trip planning also will be possible on the new RGRTA Web site. Riders will be able to put in the location they’re at and where they want to go. The computer will provide a printout of bus route options for the trip.
A number of kiosks will be installed, including one at the fast ferry terminal that, with the help of computers, will permit passengers to do such origin-destination planning. And riders will be able to purchase bus passes for the trip.
About 5,300 bus-stop signs will be replaced with new signs that provide more information about routes and fares.
Frequent users of buses will get a discount. Aesch said it will be like a frequent-flier discount.
Smaller buses, 22-feet long instead of the 40-footers, will be used when appropriate, in off-peak hours. They will be 50 percent more fuel-efficient. How many such buses will be purchased has not been determined.
Implementation of the changes will begin in about a month.
RGRTA has an annual budget of $58.5 million. It provides bus service to about 15 million riders a year in Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, Wayne and Wyoming counties. Services will be added in Seneca County later this summer.
that sounds like a great way to get more ridership. Are these changes just in Rochester or will it go out to the suburbs as well?
Smaller buses are more fuel efficient? I guess there is a point to 30ft buses, or *shudder* cutaways.
RGRTA is doing this entirelly the county, they also manage 7 other county transt systems, RGRTA is pretty BIG!
http://www.rnews.com/Story.cfm?ID=18345&rnews_story_type=18
Seriously, what is with the lack a/c lately?
Anyway, I decided to do something different. Instead of telling you what routes I took, I will tell you the bus manufacturer and the number of the bus and see if you can figure out the routes that I rode.
I'm sure you all will figure it out. I will post the answers tonight w/ pictures.
Orion V CNG #3047
TMC #2819
Orion V #6062
Orion VII #7670
New Flyer D60LF #5462
I took the train and bus back to Rockaway. They were:
"4" - R142 #1142
"D" - R86 #2509
"A" - R44 #5351
"A Shuttle Bus" - #9259
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
I am still trying to recover from nearly catching a heat stroke from all of those hot @ss buses I rode. :)
Seriously, what is with the lack a/c lately?
Heh, I also noticed that as well. I had GBL 10001 on the Q60 on Saturday and that bus was just hot and all the windows were open [plus one that had a missing Excel sliding piece].
Not quite, but you are very close. By the way, what time were you at B. 98th St? I arrived about 10 minutes to 3 in the afternoon.
Here's a couple of pictures that I took:
I will post more later.
Ray
That's a huge font for the LED sign, though - it looks so big, and yet oddly fitting!
Ray
RESPECT THE BUSES OF WASHINGTON D.C.?
Otherwise I don't really have a 100% list of what is scrap or not, just guessing on these.
B1-#4648-TMC
B1-#9315-NOVABUS
Montgomery-7: 4332, 4337, 4344, 4366, 4367, 4369, 4372, 4373
Landover-7:4258, 4261, 4262, 4265, 4269, 4271, 4391
Northern-5:4294, 4296, 4297, 4298, 4299
Western-6:4307, 4345, 4349, 4350, 4353, 4355
Southern-9:3917, 3922, 3924, 4203, 4204, 4280, 4285,4286, 4328
Annex-3:4218, 4252, 4388
Arlington-4:4214, 4244, 4246, 4385
Royal-3:4312, 4315, 4324
Four Mile Run-10: 4211, 4224, 4227, 4233, 4236, 4237, 4287, 4288, 4292, 4293
Also Southern looks like they are now getting the LED signs. 4286 was spotted leaving the Rhode Island Avenue Station. That bus is rehabbed also.
Thank you.
Last I knew, the plan was to oust buses from the tunnel altogether and save that for the rail line. I'm certainly not anti-rail, but Seattle boasts a very unique, very effective bus system. I don't think it's fair, wise, or even practical to neglect the extensive bus system and give all the advantages to the rail line. The greatest thing about the bus tunnel is that buses from all over the region can use it. With the rail line, it will be reserved for a route that serves only a handful of areas.
As for the fleet, King County purchased 236 dual-mode (diesel and trolley) Breda articulated buses in the early 1990s. Dubbed "tunnel buses", these vehicles were designed to operate as diesels on the surface, and then hook up to the overhead upon entering the tunnel. The Bredas have had a host of problems, none of them inherent to the concept behind tunnel-surface operation, but enough to desuade Metro from buying more dual-modes. Know that the tunnel is well ventilated, so it's not impossible to see a diesel bus down there.
Most of the Bredas (5000-5235) are still in service today, a number of them repainted to Sound Transit colors for use on the Metro-operated ST Route 550. The Breda fleet will meet a variety of fates. Some will be replaced by hybrid-electric New Flyer DE60LFs, some will be retired and not replaced because of the light rail line, still others will be converted to straight trolleys to supplement the 4000-series MAN articulated trolleys.
Keep in mind that Seattle's trolleybuses effectively operate on two networks.
- The "tunnel routes" (those using the Bredas) are essentially diesel routes, as they operate under wire only in the tunnel and on diesel for rest of their distance. Tunnel routes come from all over the region. So a vehicle that starts as a diesel bus at a remote suburban park and ride might end downtown as a trolley in the tunnel. There's also a handful of city routes which use the tunnel.
- The second network is a more traditional system. Routes like 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 36, 43, 44 (probably missing a couple) travel under wire for their entire routes on the surface; they do not enter the tunnel. You won't see dual-mode Bredas on these routes, but you will see MAN articulated trolleys (1986 vinatge) and 40-foot Gillig Phantom trolleys (2001-02) which use some equipment from the old AM General trolleys. Neither of these types has dual-mode capability. As I mentioned above, some choice Bredas are being "undieselized" and moved to the non-tunnel trolley network.
I like both networks, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that tunnel buses and LRT trains can coexist in the tunnel. The tunnel has made for a truly unique operation. I hope this is helpful.
After my lesson, I decided to take a stroll down to Germantown Depot to see some sleeping Breeze cutaways. It was full of ZFers (I assume - I think I saw 577X), and there were also some new Paratransit vehicles too! Maybe we'll see them around on the street!
After missing a Neo, I got Neo 3226, a screamer! It was great, I just slid down in my seat - soon the bus was empty except for me and the driver, so I relaxed, practically taking a nap...then I saw outrageous site #2 - a NEW FLYER on the 23! I couldn't believe it. I especially didn't think I would EVER see a New Flyer on the 23.
I got my latte from a rather rude lady (I kinda regret paying money for it - it wasn't that amazing, and I had to ask for whip cream - she gave me a "" look that was rather displeasing).
When I went outside to wait for my L, I heard a whoop and clapping. I looked over and saw the Dancing Man, who was whooping and saying "yeah!" as he listened to his music and danced on the side of the street - timberlake moves and everything. That provided some entertainment until my bus came! I heard that he does that a lot - a lady on the bus said that she didnt' see him for a while, but I guess since it was so nice, you know...
As I was comfortable in my ZFer seat, I noticed for the first time how off the announcement system was. Nowhere near Church Rd it was announcing a transfer for the 27, and according to this bus, my high school is the mall. it missed two stop announcements, though - the stop for my high school and the stop for chemical rd for the metroplex.
I got off the bus (it was mine for the last stretch to the mall) and waiting for my champion to show up (guess where my violin was?). I made it up to my house where my grandmother pointed out my lack of instrument. So, I called SEPTA, but all the lines were closed. So, I worried about it all night, hopeing someone wouldn't steal it.
I called this morning - do you know there is a specific number for lost and found? It's not listed on the website or in the schedules. Anyway, thankfully, my violin was found and is being held at the Midvale depot. I'm excited at the chance to see Midvale, but I'll have to be strong in case I see my poor, dead, Neo DKs...(gulp). Hey, I wonder if they'll give me a piece of one for free, like a destination/run sign. Hmm...
Happy transit travels!
6:15 am - 403 bus from Collings and White Hore Pike to Camden Rand Transit Center.[Flx-3156]
6:41 am - RiverLINE from WRTC Camden to Trenton Station [Car 3515-part of a two car train. Didn't get the number of the other car]
7:50 am - NEC Train 3928 from Trenton to Newark - This was the bad trip. First car 6528 {an new Alsthom car] looked like poo. The interior destination sign looked like it was going to fall down at any time, part was held up [barely] with duct tape. Then the train encountered cantenary wire problems at Rahway, that added 35 minutes to an express trip that started with only 3 stops, then non-stop to Newark.
9:25 am - PATH 872 - Trip to WTC. The open area around the station is somewhat jarring, but I see the all-important signs of renewed re-building. When I no longer see daylight when the train reatces WTC, then I feel that progress is being made.
10:30 am - RTS 9194 M6 - After breakfast, had a 20 minute wait for this bus. Rode to 42 St.
11:20 am - D train to the Bronx [rode an R68, didn't get the car number]. Got off at 167 because I forgot where to get the Bx40/42.
11:40 am - Flyer 5720 Bx1 from 167/Concourse to Burnside Ave/Concourse.
12:00 noon - Flyer 5378 Bx40 From Concourse to W.Farms. 5378 had an orange LED front, and the usual flip-dot side sign. I didn't think they worked together. The bus also looked like poo as well.
12:50 pm - Orion 228 Q44 bus - Broken destination sign. Nodded off and on during the trip to Jamaica Queens.
2:10 pm - RTS 8173 Q31. Unre-powered RTS. Went to 169-Hillside. Tried that new Caribbean Fast Food place [Golden Crust], had a tasty, but spicy lunch, and finished the meal on the F train.
2:45 pm - F train - Car 5500 [R46]. Rode from 169 St to 42 St. Finished my lunch on the train.
3:25 pm - B train - car 4532 [R40m] hogged the Railfan window from 42 St to Kings Hwy. Got off to get some caffeine in me.
4:05 pm - Q train - car 5029 [R68a] Kings Highway to Prospect Park.
4:18 pm - B Train - car 4544 [R40m] Prospect Park to Atlantic Ave.
4:30 pm - 4 train - car 1182 [R142S] As I was riding this line, I remembered the old Redbirds that used to dominate on this and all of the other IRT lines. Now the R142's will be the new Redbirds [go ahead, curse me, damn me to hell for saying such blasphemy]. Rode from Atlantic Ave to Grand Central.
5:15 pm - After taking in the atmosphere in GC at 5PM , went to get on a Penn Station Bus. It was RTS 9522 on the M4. Got off at Herald Sq and walked to Penn Station Faster than the bus got there due to traffic.
5:43 pm - NJT NEC train 3965. Made this train with a minute to spare no thanks to the PIECE OF poo TICKET VENDING MACHINE. It refused to read my Visa debit card, and they are slow to boot. No wonder the NJT customer service person tried to calm me down. [I attracted her attention by loudly dropping F-bombs at the machine]
This was the GOOD trip. The train left Penn Station at 5;43, stopped at Newark at 6 pm, then FLEW like a rocket to Princeton Jct. The only bad thing [it wasn't that bad], was that car 5369 was a bit too hot. But when the train moved, the temperature got a little more bearable.
7:00 pm - RiverLINE car 3516. Uneventful trip from Trenton to Camden WRTC.
8:14 PM - 400 bus Flx 3149. Used this line because I had to wait 45 minutes for the next 403. Even with the 9 block walk, I'd get home before the 403 would get to Camden, and I got home while there was still a little daylight left. Rode from WRTC to Collings and Mt. Ephraim.
Now what do you think of that trip?
11:20 am - D train to the Bronx [rode an R68, didn't get the car number]. Got off at 167 because I forgot where to get the Bx40/42.
For the D, its Tremont Av and for the 4 its Burnside Av to get the BX40/42 but its actually better that you did take the Bx1 or 2 since you saved a one or two block walk or something like that. Plus you got a 2004 New Flyer.
12:00 noon - Flyer 5378 Bx40 From Concourse to W.Farms. 5378 had an orange LED front, and the usual flip-dot side sign. I didn't think they worked together. The bus also looked like poo as well.
Not surprised at that observation ;-).
(I have yet to ride a 35fter - I wanna hear an L10G with ZF tranny!)
-F.
Oh if only they had DD50Gs instead of the C Gas Plus...I'd love them 10X more;-)
-F.
Speaking of the 35 foot CNGs, is one still running on Y4? I haven't seen that block lately since the schedule adjustment but the last time I saw it, it did have a 35 foot CNG.
Jim D.
That's so cool. I used to live in Watervliet and worked at the old Ford Plant on Green Island in my college days doing co-op work. That's all gone , now - it was 47 years ago.
Chuck Greene
There is something close to this now though. Route 98(? I think or maybe 96 or 93 or something). Starts at central terminal 2 trips in the PM, goes up 275 and uses those us19 overpasses to right before Crossroads mall. Takes 50% less time than the 19 bus would at least. Plus, check out the sunday schedule of PSTA 19 compared to the weekday. The trip is so much quicker.
For a two seat ride, you can start in st. pete on the 19, and at tarpon springs transfer to PCPT route 19 for another 20-30 miles in Pasco county. Service to Hernando county on US 19 shoudl come in the next few years. PCPT is one dollar for the whole day.
Distance wise PSTA 19 is insane. I'm not sure about the milage on routes 18 and 52, but ridership is just as high, and end to end, it's about 2.5 hours straight.
Route 19 is like a cross county trip though, 2-3 stops along the route is a layover and the driver says you got 10 minutes, you go and stretch or find a bathroom, etc, and the engine get's shut off sometimes.
MTA to takeover Jamaica Bus,Triboro,Queens Transit and Green Bus Lines on or about July 1.
MTA to takeover most of the vehicles which are city owned but not the garages.
MTA will not take over Command,New York Bus Service and Lberty Lines Express.
Thanks in advance for any information.
Larry,RedbirdR33
David
The Bee-Line is a contract with Westchester County.
"Liberty Lines" is actually two companies:
- Liberty Lines Express, which operates several NYCDOT routes under contract, and
- Liberty Lines Transit, which operates most Westchester County DOT ("Bee-Line") routes under contract.
Only LLE would be affected by the takeover.
Since the Cooper holdings are privately held they are not obligated to post this information to the public.
Thank You
Thank You
1. MTA to takeover Jamaica Bus,Triboro,Queens Transit and Green Bus Lines on or about July 1 ... maybe.
2. MTA to takeover most of the vehicles which are city owned but not the garages ... NOT if you intend to do #1
3. MTA will not take over Command,New York Bus Service and Lberty Lines Express ... so what happens the service just stops ?
Btw, I am now getting kinda partial to the loud takeoff noise of the O7's at WF. I like them when they pass by my house and I hear the "GR-RR-RR-RR-RR-RRR" sound after the takeoff. I miss the '99 Orions that used to be at WF that GH and MCH have now. They are my faves!
Regards,
Sometimes I kinda like it though...makes the ride more interestingly musical...kinda. Artsy.
Same here I liek hearing the O7s go past ma crib also. Setting off car alarms, I also miss the 6000s but they still run on WF routes from time to time. 5250 has always had that loud sound it always sounds differnet. The engine sounds like its straning also.
It's an awful sound....
Crazy high prices, thanks to Transit, buses you ride for cheaper !!
Depends on your commute. Even with the current high gas prices, it's still cheaper for me to drive to work than take the bus, even after factoring in gas, maintenance, insurance and the cost of buying my car (I tend to keep my cars for 10 years, so the purchase price is depreciated a lot longer than people who trade their cars in sooner).
JD
Anyway, it used to be time or driving/wear and tear savings, but Transit is almost always cheaper now with those prices.
That would've been my campaign if I ever opened up a company, but for SEPTA to be cheaper than a gallon of gas? That's just rich!
Chuck Greene
In short, it's time to put up ETB wires on major routes. That is, routes where the investment will pay dividends, not Podunk, Md's Ride-One Rt5 or some BS. The supply of oil is far too volitile to place our hopes and dreams for transit improvement in the country on it's shoulders. We need our transit to be powered by something we can control, paying american workers to extract it from our own ground
Let's hope the age of the ETB and LRV are at hand and that the short reign of the oxymoronic 'Bus Rapid Transit' is at a close.
It's about time you start making sense ;-)
Point 2) Coal is the reason for the south having cheaper energy. That's going by the wayside now with a LOT of plants converting to Natural Gas. They can't stop laying pipelines, destroying the environment, etc.
Don't you also mean "Re-electrify"?, since quite a few systems abandoned ETB's over the years?
Robert
By the way Robert where are you working?
E mail me please at BarryLv11510@yahoo.com
Hope all is well
Thank You
Also, inside the garage was #8805-another one from KB sent over to ULmer Park. Also saw #8891-no Bronx Map. I asked the supervisor how many #8800's they had-he said about 15. He would not tell me the numbers of them. Guess i'll have to keep watching.
B1-#9339-NOVABUS
B82-#4649-TMCRTS
88xx- 8891-8893
92xx- 9228, 9230-9231, 9233-9236, 9238, 9240-9241, 9245-9247, 9249
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
BTW, is the b/o giving you the evil eye in the mirror in the last pic?
Chuck Greene
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
enjoy!
I remember seeing GGT with MC-5's!!! They predated their first fishbowls (actually, they were using Greyhound's fleet of fishbowls with the dogs removed and GGT logos added.) But the MC-5's were their own first buses, believe it or not.
HEY I am going on vacation next week and I think I need it. :P
I have seen quite a number of these Orion V's in service already. So I am assuming that Golden Gate Transit is currently phasing 80 of these Orion V's in quickly to replace thier 1990 TMC T80-206's"RTS"(which about 15 are at hand).
The new Orion V fleet is numbered 1501-1580....the highest number I've seen is bus #1558. So more than half
are on GGT's property. And these Orion V's also have rear wheelchair lifts as you can see
that blue thing stick to the lower window of the rear door.
POST 'EM, POST 'EM!
(Do they have blue and the colors made with it such as white? i.e. full color. If so, it must be the same thing I saw in Chicago)
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Golden Gate Transit new Orion V's do have rear door wheelchair lifts
just like I said!
And I agree with you, any bus having a wide rear door doesn't always mean it has rear wheelchair lifts. Sacramento Regional Transit also have Orion V's with wide rear doors , but the lifts are in the front.
Arthur
where about in Golden Gate Park was that pic taken at ?
eddie a.
this picture was taken at Geary and 12 Ave near Golden Gate Park
in SF. As yo can see, it was heading to Downtown SF on route 10.
Jason
You mean their Transit colors. The City (DOT) is buying the buses for its contract carriers.
Robert
Are they only mainly used on the Bx34?
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
THanks
Robert
Sometimes I wish it was like it was back in the day (before my time) when everyone took mass transit. Only problem is, I wouldn't have the bus to myself anymore, but I may get my half hourly 95 service back.
the Schuylkill is horrible now, though.
Maybe that explain why I had a hard time finding air-conditioned buses lately, especially the Queens private routes.
SEPTA only pays 76 cents per gallon.
As for the transit operations getting a discount...usually they sign contracts with oil suppliers to furnish them with a year's contract of fuel for some really cheap rate, so they aren't affected (YET...) by these higher prices.
If people would get off their high throne and take mass transit (I know I'm preaching to the choir) maybe it wouldn't be so bad with the high demand and whatnot - there are too many anti transit people out there. "I might get mugged on the bus!" Yeah, right, pathetic excuse.
In this case, I almost have minimal sympathy, except for those who live nowhere near transit go to to places nowhere near transit.
Heheheh, I remember when gas was 26 cents a gallon for anyone.
I'm an old fart.
JD
Maybe this would be a great way for transit companies to promote, "Try Transit Week" (this isn't a specific time of year, is it?).
Claim: Participating in a one-day "gas out" on May 19 will help bring the retail price of gasoline down.
Status: False.
Source: http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/nogas.asp
Oh sure, you don't purchase gas on the 19th. But you'll certainly make sure your tankis full on the 18th...or refill it on the 20th.
So what good did it do.
Just another stupid ass internet scam.
I think I'll drive up to the corner gas station and fill my truck right now when I get done here.
Ray
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
When the B-9 was extended to Riis Park back in the early 80's, it was coming out of Ulmer Park, not Fifth Avenue.
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
First of all, we all know the B100 will be merged with the B2 as soon as the takeover happens, probably effective with the next pick. That is a done deal.
Second, where will Flatbush put the additional buses?
The B-2 and B-100 will not be changed for the summer pick. Possibly in the system pick but nothing is set yet.
Thank You
David
Flatbush just has no room period.
In refernece to the B-100,B-103 and Q-35 nothing is going to happen in time for the summer pick.
If and when changes will be made it will take effect in September.
Thank You
David
First off, The Command Facility along with the Queens Surface facility would be transferred to the TA along with he bus and routes since THOSE two facilities are NYC DOT owned. WHICH means that if anything some routes would be transferred between garages for streamlining deadheads.
Granted, I've heard through the grapevine (BUT NOT CONFIRMED) that there is a budget for 128 more articulated buses on top of the 65 Option Order buses that is left from the 2003-04 New Flyer D60HF #5510-5769 order. AGAIN grapevined, not confirmed...So even is that IS true, there is no way in hell to say that Flatbush is getting 71 out of 128 buses.
Regards,
First off, The Command Facility along with the Queens Surface facility would be transferred to the TA along with he bus and routes since THOSE two facilities are NYC DOT owned. WHICH means that if anything some routes would be transferred between garages for streamlining deadheads.
Granted, I've heard through the grapevine (BUT NOT CONFIRMED) that there is a budget for 128 more articulated buses on top of the 65 Option Order buses that is left from the 2003-04 New Flyer D60HF #5510-5769 order. AGAIN grapevined, not confirmed...So even is that IS true, there is no way in hell to say that Flatbush is getting 71 out of 128 buses.
Regards,
BIG AL
So far the TA has changed their mind 3 times in regards to have the articulated buses at Flatbush Depot.
I will believe it when and if they are ever in the depot.
Hope you enjoy your vacation
Thank You
B1,B3,B4,B6,B31,B36,B64,B74,X27/X37,X28/X38,X29 and BM3.
Extra buses are easy for the b31-they only need 4 at the most. Run offs would be easy.
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
BIG AL
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Over the past week, a key group of TA line workers (a team of TA personnel from Queens Village) spent a week up at The Oriskany Orion Bus plant to Quality Inspect the curret Orion VII order, such as driveabilit and other things.
While up there, they went around with a pad and list (5 Pages Long) of things to check out on the buses. Finding that the buses are really rattly and that one did NOT pass the "Spray" Test (Which is an apx. 15-20 minutes of high pressure water sprayed all over the bus to check for leaks). Among not passing the "Shaker" test in the beginning, you would've thought by not that things like failing the "Spray" test would be non-existant.
I Soooooo Smell a Millennium Grumman Fiasco......
Regards,
LOL!!!!!!!
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
www.transitalk.info
www.cleanairbus.tk
(Ozzy's Site on Image Station)
Thank you
www.transitalk.info
www.cleanairbus.tk
www.imagestation.com/????
(Ozzy's Site on Image Station, sorry, don't know what it is exactly)
Thank you
Da Hui
Talk about reaping the benefits. And to think these units are slated for WF, MCH, and JG. OMG!
So you can place a lot of the blame on Mr. Governor. Guaranteed, if the TA wasn't locked into this Buy-NY Pataki crap, these more than likely would've been the Proven New Flyer C40LF and DE40LF.
The 795
DEADLY BUS ACCIDENT IN THE BRONX
An NYCT bus was hit by an SUV yesterday in the Bronx. The bus, one of NYCT's brand new low floor buses from Orion bus industries, was hit on the side by an SUV.
"It was bloody mayhem" said one passenger, who was horrified as the SUV's large bumper plowed into several passengers. Sadly, 5 people have died in this accident, and 20 were injured. The occupants of the SUV were unharmed.
Many critics point to the danger of low floor bus designs, which seat passengers lower to the ground. The MTA claims it will launch an investigation into the accident, as with every accident in which a bus was involved.
Jim D.
An NYCT bus was hit by an SUV yesterday in the Bronx. The bus, one of NYCT's brand new low floor buses from Orion bus industries, was hit on the side by an SUV.
"It was bloody mayhem" said one passenger, who was horrified as the SUV's large bumper plowed into several passengers. Sadly, 5 people have died in this accident, and 20 were injured. The occupants of the SUV were unharmed.
Many critics point to the danger of low floor bus designs, which seat passengers lower to the ground. The MTA claims it will launch an investigation into the accident, as with every accident in which a bus was involved. "
That is a ridiculous idea. The construction of a transit bus is designed to protect the passenger at the expense of the vehicle that intrudes its space.
An NYCT bus was hit by an SUV yesterday in the Bronx. The bus, one of NYCT's brand new low floor buses from Orion bus industries, was hit on the side by an SUV.
"It was bloody mayhem" said one passenger, who was horrified as the SUV's large bumper plowed into several passengers. Sadly, 5 people have died in this accident, and 20 were injured. The occupants of the SUV were unharmed.
Many critics point to the danger of low floor bus designs, which seat passengers lower to the ground. The MTA claims it will launch an investigation into the accident, as with every accident in which a bus was involved.
This accident didn't actually happen, right?
JD
Thanks,
Have a great day!
No information needed now.
Cummins are cleaner than Detroit Diesel engines, more powerful and last longer. The reason why Cummins suck on LI is because LI has some SAD ass maintenance. I've even seen the DD Orion Vs on LI broken down. So don't blame Cummins for LI Bus's crap ass maintenance.
Regards,
Both Orion VII & C40s are doing good here in Brooklyn - Not many breakdowns as WF Orions.
Acela
JD
B1-#9098-NOVABUS
B8-#859-New Flyer
B1-#8690-TMC
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Da Hui
Question 1: when the Metrocard SingleRide ticket is inserted on MTA NYC Transit buses, the display on the farebox says "SingleRide" and the green light beeps. In the box that lights up behind the driver's partition which lists the type of fare paid like Adult, XFER, Pass, Student, what lights up for the SingleRide ticket when it is inserted??
Also, is the single ride ticket good on MTA Long Island Buses and do they give a free transfer with it or you have to pay 25 cents for one??
Thanks.
NOTE: If you use it first on a subway, "it's dead Jim", i.e. you won't get a Transfer to a bus.
The "Beakey Box," as it's called, shows "ADULT" when a Single Ride Ticket is used as payment of fare.
The MCI D4500 coaches that NYBS runs. Are they owned by New York Bus Service or the NYC DOT?
Thanks.
7560-7680 (7560-7561 @ Vendor), 7682-7683, 7686-7692, 7694, 7698, 7702, 7704, 7706-7707, 7710-7712, 7714-7726,7728-7732, 7747-7748
_____________________
Well after some serious dirt digging....These Orion 7s coming in AREN'T SO NEW.........Every bus in up to 7748 ARE NOT 2004 units. Every single bus that is coming in on the property were built.......
SEPTEMBER 2003
Yes, these precious so called new buses are 8+ months old. Now that means that these buses were sitting up at the Oriskany Plant for 8+ months just collecting dust. tsk tsk tsk!!!!
BIG AL
The 795
As yes the Orion 7 Production Line has stopped! Its Temporary, but it has stopped.
The 795
The Grumman Flxible issue started with a design defect, but ended with politics. Flxible fixed the A-frame problem and went on to build the very reliable 870 and Metro buses for another 15 years. Meanwhile, the New York City 870's were later pulled out of service as a public relations event after a bus burned up due to poor maintenance. NYC Transit ended up giving these buses away, which were later rebuilt by Flxible and operated for years in New Jersey, Cincinnati and elsewhere.
In my opinion, I don't think Orion is necessarily any better or worse than New Flyer, NABI, Neoplan, Nova, Gillig or any other bus manufacturer. Look around long enough and you'll find a transit operator who has had issues with one of those companies.
Jim D.
(Disclaimer - This message contains my personal views, and does not reflect the views of any of my present or former employers)
I unlike a lot people on this board, I'm posted some kinda REAL news then just the mindless babble and stupid questions that bombard this board on a daily basis.
If there is a problem with that, I will stop presenting this board with news period.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
The 795
About the Orion I model - do you have a problem with the bounce? Our SEPTA Dorados bounce around like the Orions, and they hate them because of it (I think it's a lot of fun!).
I wish I could find some way to get one of Ride-On's Orion Is, and fix it up.
The 795
I remember the first time I sat in the driver's seat of an Orion I...besides the fact I couldn't turn the wheel, I felt like I belonged there...same with the Neo and, well, New Flyer.
nah chill, news is happily wanted.
I like to post positive and negative news, posting nothing but positive gives a false view of the TA and other industry happenings. I don't like when someone is being like what's your problem. Railbus made a good statement in th process, but it came off as real stand-off-ish.
The 795
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Arthur
If my comments came across as stand-offish, I apologize. To be honest, I didn't recognize your handle. I thought perhaps you were a newbie with an axe to grind against Orion, what with all the 'precious' comments and such.
I also hope that I'm not coming off as some sort of Orion apologist. It's just that a lot of people on this board happily bash them too much. As I noted, I don't think they're any better or worse than the other manufacturers. I don't think many transit fans appreciate the difficulties faced by manufacturers these days, in the transit industry and elsewhere. Call me an optimist, but I truly believe that the majority of the workers at Orion and elsewhere are really trying to build a quality product. QC issues happen - the real test is how the manufacturer responds. I think the jury is still out regarding the Orion VII.
By all means, keep the news coming, good or bad. I agree that there is too much mindless posting that goes on here sometimes.
Respectfully,
Jim D.
No problem, bigones! I used the term precious because alot of people here act like they are the best thing since sliced bread. The are growing on me, but like a REAL transit buff, I do realize there is just some major issues with this model. It was basically slapped together fast to compete with New Flyer and the others that do Low Floor buse with platformed rears.
Its my fault for not making myself known.
Regards,
Trevor
The 795
I know right. Well its good to hear what the real issues are and no, there are no problems [with me at least] on that. I don't necessarily have a beef with Orion products although I admit I may get on the design of the O7 and such. I just speak from a riders point of view.....
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
BTW: Did New Flyer ever hold out on any transit systems? I wanna know if my favorite bus company is okay in terms of dependability (I already know that they are the USA's largest bus manufacturer.). TIA.
But still, I wish Orion didn't hold out on us letting those precious Orion VIIs collect dust. Had they not, I think I would have had some Orion VII pix by now.
You will pay Orion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
The problem is right now, is that New Flyer does not want to build anymore High Floors. The MTA is fighting, basically saying look we'll buy some low floor articulated from you however we do have a contract obligation to these last 65 Articulateds, BUT New Flyer is fighting.....So lets see what these optional articulateds appear as...
High Floors or Low Floors
Regards,
The 795
Also, I don't know if this is apparent in other New Flyers out there, but I know that SEPTA's have a problem with cracking windows. I don't think it's depot vandalism since Midvale is practically hidden from the public, but I've seen this on 5715 ( when it was a week old - still had the new bus smell), 5726, and I think there was another one as well. I remember SEPTA had to keep their 5600s in the depots (at least Midvale) because of the cracked window problem.
New Flyer is just being a bigot because it knows it's the low floor giant of the American bus industry - I don't care what anyone says, we all know it's true, and companies like SEPTA are only feeding it's already too big ego.
Hasn't New York have problems with New Flyer beforehand, maybe with the low floors?
Low floors ARE better than high floors, because of easier entry to the bus.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
How could a manufacturer not want business to keep the factory going, and money in its accounts?
Click Here
The 795
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Needs a Neo, though, lol. Or an MCI...ooh.
They have a radio commercial too - just as funny, although you can't see the guy dance.
Peace,
ANDEE
Change in the title is noted based on information supplied.
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Once again, I apologize for sounding like CDTA, but the late 2003/2004 New Flyer D60HF Articulateds are my favorite buses and I want to stay with the good thought that the walls and seats of my favorite buses are nice and clean. TIA.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Ben Diamond1 (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-LED side blinkers, frontal blinkers, kneeler lamps, amber LED signs, and LED emergency flashers. The best places to find them are the MJQ routes: M14A/M14D (14 Street Crosstown); M23 (23 Street crosstown); M79 (79 Street Crosstown).
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a 4traintowoodlawn)
As far as where they operate, I already answered that question for you a couple of days ago.
Enjoy
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
Enjoy your time of drooling in anxiousness to come to NYC. :-D
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
#5510-5595 are on the M101/102/103 (best place to see them, Lexington/3 Avs), M86
#5596-5686 are on the M15 (best place to find them), most M35s, and most M116s
#5687-5721 are in the Bronx, on the Bx1/2, Bx9, Bx41...these are harder to find...
#5722-5769 are on the M14, M23, and M79 (best place to find them in the M14, they run more frequently)
Thank you
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
1-Increase service span of the S-51 route to 24 hours a day along the entire route. Currently owl period buses terminate at Kiswick Street
Effective date is September 2004
In regards to the takeover of the DOT routes i saw several higher ups in the DOB and they told me that nothing has been decicded yet.
Thank You
That's not completely correct.
Then you look at the New Flyer C40LF order, wow how'd we sneak them shits in under the clause, well my guess is that they snuck them in with the 1999-2000 New Flyer D60HFs (#5250-5509), and if that is the case, VERY SLICK BITCHES THEY ARE!
But this is why we are stuck with these Orion 07.501s, These ARE Pataki's buses. Hands Down!!!!!!!!!
Regards,
but that doesn't mean jack compared to the way they GOT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE..Bunk Orion..they don't deserve anymore city money....
Can you rephrase that in a way that I am able to understand?
Peace,
ANDEE
I do know the CURRENT situation is UNACCEPTABLE,due to the fact of ORION'S business practices
The term "business practice" means negiotations, contracts, paperwork, agreements, and so on and so forth. What you are Trying to say is that you do not like Orion's Manufactering Quality . Business practice does not reflect on built quality, manufactering, and worksmanship whatsoever.
If Millinimum bus would put the RTS back into production, the first year or so of the buses would have quility issues until the new workes work out the problems
-F.
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
Also, the artic versions would have looked MUCH better with Fishbowl front ends. On that note, did you know that Flxible almost made a New Look artic? This was during the time of the UMTA prototypes that led to the ADB, and the concept sketch was basically a bending New Look with awful AM General-like windows that took away from its styling. Apart from that, it would have been neat to see a truly "flexible" bus! :)
-F.
Allen Dicion
www.transithub.net
-F.
David
The people in charge of the depot first have to agree with the contention that a problem exists. They then bring the situation to the General Manager for the borough, who has to determine whether adding buses (as opposed to, say, authorizing additional resources to fix the buses that are already in the depot but not available for service for whatever reason) is necessary. If he determines that additional buses are needed, will fix the problem, and can physically be accommodated in the depot, he will ask the Chief Maintenance Officer to move some buses (which have to come from somewhere, probably another depot or depots) into the depot. If these buses are not of a type that is already in the depot (which could mean the same model but from a different year), then the buses will have to come with a set of parts and the Maintainers will have to be trained in the buses' repair if they are not already familiar with the buses.
This is a decision that can affect depots all over the system to one degree or another, so it is one that cannot be made lightly.
David
Ray
SHIT
BITCH
FUCK
DAMN
JACKASS
ASSHOLE
MOTHERFUCKER
Remember this is only a test
The 795
By the way, a beaver's residence and the devil's residence are only considered swearing. You may use those words in most sanctioned athletic contests freely without penalty.
-F.
-F.
When I typed it as "fcking", and clicked Preview, the post showed "fcking", so I clicked Post Message and it was STILL "fcking", but when I clicked on the post from the thread tree, it was "flowering".
-Adam
(fishbowl6v92ta@aol.com)
-F.
Ohhh, fuck
9:30 am - SEPTA R2 - car 119 - Market East to Wilmington. The train was two minutes late, and it ran slow to Wilmington due to Amtrak trackwork.
11:00 am - DART 6 - Gillig 459 - Wilmington Sta. To Prices Corner. I noticed one thing about the ads on DART buses, THEY SUCK! Nothing like the ads on SEPTA buses [especially the extremely cool Spider-Man 2 ad]
12:47 pm - DART 6 - Gillig 443 - After getting my DVDs at Best Buy [Smallville 2nd season, and Vol. 2 of Speed Racer], and having lunch at KFC, the money I saved on taxes basically paid for my SEPTA train fare, so I came out even. Hopped on the 6 to go to Newark.
1:30 pm - DART 33 - I'm getting a little sick of this, ANOTHER GILLIG! #425. Hope to get of and ride a NABI when I get Downtown.
2:45 pm - DART 9 - NABI 507 - Got on a high-floor NABI. They look a little better than the low-floor buses. I can't stand the door placement on the low-floors. Does anybody have an idea what type of engine/tranny mix the DART NABI's have? They sound like the SEPTA 5713 and up Flyers. Rode to the Prices' Corner Park and Ride.
3:25 pm - DART 19 - Got on another high-floor #504. That bus' engine sound was more closer to SEPTA's NABI buses. Rode from Prices'Corner to Rodney Sq.
4:05 pm - DART 35 - NABI 511 - Rode the short hop to the Amtrak Station. While waiting for the train, I was trying to see if the rare NJT bus run out of Salem County had arrived in Wilmington. I didn't see the bus, but the next time I will get the schedule, and once and for all, catch that extremely rare sight in Delaware.
4:45 pm - SEPTA R2 - car 425. Rode from Wilmington to 30th St. The train was surprisingly full for a reverse-commute run. Got off at 30th St to get my DC Tickets. So all you guys down there watch out! I'm coming down for a couple of days to hit every system in DC [except PRTC].
Observation:
I miss the Flxible Metros DART used to run. They were the handsomest buses ever seen, and at the time of retirement, they looked like they could go another 10 years, thanks to the meticulous maintenance at DART. DART's maintenace can put SEPTA, NJT, WMATA and NYCB to ultimate shame!
12:47 pm -
Just a disclaimer, if you have the misfortune to ride THE BUS, don't laugh too hard, the driver's might get offended. :P
Chuck Greene
If you rode the 15 that would have taken you past the lot where at least 10 of them are kept. You are right, they do look like they could go on longer. Unfortunately the disappearing of Flxibles will grow more and more as the years go by.
BTW, there are still unrehabbed 87s out there, saw 8725 doing an F13 this morning.
Speaking of ex-DART buses, Kraps (I mean Krapf's) began operating an ex-DART RTS about 5-6 months ago. This particular bus was purchased second hand from somewhere else (I couldn't tell from where, though), but a couple of the DART stickers (with the old DART logo) were still present. That bus still has some good speed to it, as my neck will attest to after having to deal with Pottstown Pike (I have no choice but to use their so-called transit system on Sundays since neither the 133/92 nor the R5 between Malvern and Thorndale operate on Sundays).
I had Orions both ways on the S62, ran great with the a/c on. Going back though, we hit a snag. First, we got to Port Jeff way too early so the driver shut off the bus and took a 10 min break (yeah, its a much slower way of life).
BTW a pic of an out of service bus in Port Jefferson:
Once our timepoint came we were off again, until a loud "pop
sound occurred. Originally I thought it was a flat, but the bus was going no more than 5-10mph. The driver said that it was the engine. Oh well, at least it didnt stall out like a Cummins.
We broke down on route 347 in South Setauket. Fortunately there was a place for us to pull over. The engine did have to be shut off for safety reasons. The driver thought it was a fanbelt, which was confirmed by the mechanic who came in on another bus. We only had to wait maybe 20 min for the spare bus to arrive. It was another Orion V. The driver wasnt too happy about getting that bus. Once we were on our way, I found out why. The bus had bad brakes, and the retarder wasnt working. The driver was so annoyed that she got another DEFECTIVE bus, lets just say she really did not want to talk to this busfan she was so upset. She had to call it in to dispatch, who had the gall to say (I heard over the radio) to drive the bus anyway. The B/O was furious, so upset she didnt want to talk about it at all. The bus went out of service at Smith Haven mall, fortunately I was getting off there anyway. She was so mad sometimes I thought she was talking to me but was actually talking over the radio.
Now I know Suffolk Transit, like the NYC DOT buses, are run by private companies. I know it probably happens in MTA operations too, where dispatch threatens the driver to drive an unsafe bus. But its the driver's record and CDL on the line here, they have a right to refuse a DEFECTIVE bus, especially if it takes forever to STOP.(and let me tell you it did, who could blame the driver for being furious?)
As for the B/O, she seemed kinda mad at me for showing interest, for that I apologize, sometimes we busfans can get on B/O's nerves.
Sorry folks I am not giving any bus numbers or times to protect the identity of the B/O.
So much for thinking Suffolk Transit took better care of their buses. One thing LI Bus has never done was put a bus with bad brakes on the road and keep it in service.
I really think Suffolk Transit should join the MTA under the LI Bus division, which would eventually part of MTA regional bus.
2) MTA Regional Bus has nothing to do with improving personnel and buses. It has to do with management and funding. Long Island Bus will be cut to pieces under Regional Bus. Suffolk Transit will also be cut to pieces. When the fanfare dies down from the takeover in NYC and the city starts to cut its contributions, the formely private lines will be introduced to the knife. Nassau County will eventually pull all money from the bus system and if other counties can follow, they will do the same.
3) Some of the Suffolk carriers do mainly school bus work. Some companies think a bus is a bus. This is when things like brakes get overlooked.
Out by me, the Hampton Jitney (Southampton - SOUTH SHORE) operates the 10A, 10B, 10C and S94. Also they do a split with Sunrise Coaches (Greenport - NORTH SHORE) with the S92. However, they have NO school buses. Sunrise Coaches does though.
Finally, I hope the MTA Long Island Bus takes over Suffolk Transit because this way Suffolk Transit can run smoothly. By the way, at Hampton Jitney, those drivers drive the LOCAL bus routes there because they are on their "break". Or maybe like the NYCT, a "Swing" route or something like that?
Ray
Needless to say, I opted for the B49, which had a much smaller crowd -- large enough to fill all the seats but only most of the standing room on an RTS.
More buses, please!
It should also be noted that the short service is designed to mesh with the class dismissals at the college, with a great deal of service provided at the end of the school day at Leon Goldstein HS, which is on the campus (that's a bit later than "David of Broadway" was out there today). I don't know whether the college is in finals yet, but if it is then people aren't arriving or leaving they way they normally would, so it is possible that adjustments to the schedule need to be made by supervision to compensate. I hope that "David of Broadway" will call the Department of Buses at 1-888-NYCT-BUS to report the problem if it persists so that the adjustments (if necessary) can be made.
David
The morning rush is no different, with extended waits and bunching on both the B1 and the B49. (The bunching situation on the B49 is so bad that it's not uncommon for four buses to make the turn from Z onto E. 16th without any other vehicles intervening. The morning B1 typically only bunches in pairs.)
While on the topic of schedules, for a period in the late afternoon/early evening, when both the B1 and the B are scheduled at 10-minute headways, the eastbound B1 is scheduled to arrive at Brighton Beach precisely when the northbound B is scheduled to leave Brighton Beach. Was this an oversight? Although late afternoon/early evening is hardly the KCC peak, the B1 still carries many passengers who transfer to the B, and I doubt there are any other transfer points along the B1 (to other services with similar headways) with greater turnovers. Is there some other sort of constraint that doesn't allow the B1 scheduled to be shifted back a few minutes?
Oh, and finals begin on June 4. Classes run through June 2.
At the time the B1 schedule was written, there was no B train at Brighton Beach - it was the < Q >. The B1 schedule will be different in the summer, and the B train schedule is expected to change in the fall, but after the B1 non-summer schedule goes back into effect in September.
And yes, late afternoon/early evening is hardly the B1's time of peak riding. In fact, riding TO the college is greater than riding FROM the college in the early evening, as people arrive for night school classes.
David
If I'm wrong about that (which is not at all unlikely), couldn't the schedule have been changed for the pick that went into effect a few weeks ago?
Is the dispatcher at Mackenzie Loop authorized to send out buses (say) 2 minutes early and to have them "hold" at Brighton Beach for 2 minutes to get back on schedule? That would cut into the B/O's break between runs; I don't know if that's a problem.
Better coordination with B and Q service in the early evening hours can be considered the next time B1 service is revised, but I don't know when that will be or what the B and Q schedules will look like by then.
David
The current schedules force a few dozen people on each bus to wait a full headway for the B train (in addition to however long they had to wait for the B1). That's not as bad as forcing a crush loaded busload to wait a full headway, but that's not what I'm asking for. I don't think revising the B1 schedule to permit connections at Brighton Beach would negatively affect any other transfers along the line. Am I incorrect?
Missed connections are undesireable, even against the peak (or arguably especially against the peak, when the next train isn't just a few minutes away). They're sometimes unavoidable, but I don't see how that's the case here. I don't ask for the impossible, at least not deliberately, but I do ask for the best service that can be provided.
Again: the needs of those passengers who leave the college during the early evening hours can be considered the next time a B1 weekday schedule is written.
David
I went to Kingsborough in the early 1980s and rode the B49. One time (around 4 PM) I waited 25 minutes, and then within a 10-minute time frame 11 buses showed up. I know full well what it's like to wait for a bus at Mackenzie Loop with no idea whether one will show up.
David
While not common, I've experienced one or two 25-minute waits for the B1. Apparently service has degraded since your days at KCC: my long wait was rewarded with only 2 buses, not 11.
I agree that, with all the variables involved, this isn't a fast, easy job. As a regular rider who happens to be interested in the topic of bus scheduling, I'm just tossing out some ideas that might help improve service. The B1 in particular has so many variables that I can imagine it's a real challenge.
David
While on the topic of recovery time, is there any way to request or insist that B/O's open their doors and accept passengers during the last few minutes of their recovery time? As you know, there's no semblance of a line at these bus stops, so a passenger who doesn't fit on one bus -- who should, by rights, be ahead in line of those who don't arrive at the bus stop until after it leaves -- might not fit on the next one either (or if he's lucky enough to fit, he might still have to stand), depending on where exactly the bus stops and how pushy the rest of the crowd is. The earlier the bus starts loading, the fewer late arrivals will be able to push to the front of the line. In the rain, I wouldn't be surprised if this leads to fistfights.
Are the posted B1 and B49 schedules accurate? If it would help, I'd be glad to take notes during my commute and report discrepencies that I notice.
Absolutely. It's a requirement, as per bulletin.
"Are the posted B1 and B49 schedules accurate? If it would help, I'd be glad to take notes during my commute and report discrepencies that I notice."
I haven't looked at the Guide-A-Rides at the Loop lately, but unless the effective date is late June (of whatever year) they should be accurate. Any discrepancies should be reported to the Department of Buses.
David
By "posted" I meant online (they're dated January 2004). The Guide-a-Rides aren't very useful when I ride most often, since those rows are starred (additional service) -- although I suppose they do still provide an upper bound on scheduled headway. How bad should it be before I bother reporting it? (I'm thinking that a gap of at least 1½ times the scheduled headway would be appropriate.) And am I correct in assuming that the posted times are scheduled departure times?
As to the timetables, the ones that are online are in effect and will be until the summer schedules go into effect (which should be the last Sunday in June). The Guide-A-Rides are supposed to reflect scheduled departure times. How bad service should be before it gets reported is up to the individual customer to decide.
David
David
Thanks.
David
I'm afraid the B1 came right away this morning, and I had many seats to choose from, so I have nothing to complain about yet today. I'm about to ride again -- wish me luck.
David
Did somebody interview them to see that all of them wanted the B?
[That's not as bad as forcing a crush loaded busload to wait a full headway, but that's not what I'm asking for. I don't think revising the B1 schedule to permit connections at Brighton Beach would negatively affect any other transfers along the line.]
Adjusting the B1 schedule to allow a connection to the B will mess up someone else's connection to the Q. The problem isn't solved, only moved.
Without checking the schedules for that time of day, I know from experience earlier in the afternoon (when I usually ride -- I typically only stay until early evening on Tuesdays) that the Q leaves just a minute or two before the B, and the two often meet at Kings Highway. Neither B nor Q passengers are served well by the current B1 schedule. Adjusting the schedule might make it possible for both B and Q passengers to catch earlier trains. If not, Q passengers might still be able to take the B to Kings Highway and connect there to the Q that they had just missed at Brighton Beach, still benefitting everyone except those bound specifically for Neck Road and Avenue U.
My objection isn't that the schedule makes a convenient connection for somebody, but it isn't me. It's that it doesn't seem to make a convenient connection for anybody, and it makes a particularly inconvenient connection for many.
Then again, on any nice day I would walk on Shore Blvd (north end of KCC), to the Ocean Ave pedestrian bridge, cross bridge to Emmons Ave, and continue to walk up to Sheepshead Bay station. When the bus does show up, people would put in like less than half the fare inside the farebox, because the large amouns of change used made it impossible for the B/O to keep track who is paying the full fare. Some operators punched the chute down after each passenger instead of filling up the glass, so to speak.
I have walked on occasion, but after having been on my feet for four hours straight, I'd rather not walk a mile and a half to the subway. Then again, if the alternative is standing 15 minutes while waiting for the bus and standing another 10 minutes on a crush loaded bus, perhaps walking isn't so bad.
And one other thing. Landover is supposed to get the SMARTTRIP fareboxes installed this weekend, but I have already seen 4258 with one doing the F6 at College Park. They maybe doing their 42's now, since I didn't see any on the road today.
The BWI Gilligs are crap,but their Neos are still looking and sounding great.
I guess the other WMATA buses don't get freaked out when they see PG THE BUS because the PG County stuff isn't recognized to be real by the WMATA fleet but who really knows. I don't have a degree in Bus Psycology nor will I try to convince anyone that I do.
Da Hui
http://www.mta.info/bandt/html/throgs.htm
The bridge was named after the neighborhood. While both spellings are commonly used these days, most old timers will tell you that it's spelled with two Gs.
http://www.metro-magazine.com/t_newspick.cfm?id=9058395
Ont the other hand, the Orion VII is such a radical redesign of a low floor bus that it's either going to completely turn off alot of transit fans, or really grab them in with the boxy design or the Flx-style windows. It's just so different than everything else out there.
Ricer-like sounds + coughing sounds from the turbocharger = Nice.
WMATA buses with 6V92TA/Allison V731 and L10/Voith D863. Need I say more.
Wayne
I don't really get bored of SEPTA's New Flyers too much because I love the ambient sounds, particularly in our 5600s Allisons and 5700s ZFers, particularly when they are braking - I love the Flxible sound (WMATA 9400s - da voiths). It's nice with the ZFers that they have the "Orion" sound on them as well - of course, it's basically the same engine anyway.
I'm still waiting to ride the Orion VIIs a lot more before I make my opinion, but they are so gosh darn tall!
Chuck Greene
Everytime we mention to the drivers that new buses are coming, their eyes light up. I did a few route timings today on OmniLink and the driver I was with can't wait for both the Saturday service and the new buses. I get to do this again on June 5. It was funny seeing people's reactions to our buses going around Woodbridge/Dale City when the buses are usually sleeping over the weekend.
Am I against the right of any transit agency to protect its equipment, property, and its passengers from terrorism, danger and threats? Absolutely not. In fact, I wholeheartedly support these agencies in these efforts...especially in these intense times.
But criminallizing a totally innocent, harmless and victimless hobby pursued and enjoyed by men and women of all ages is not the answer.
Can ANYONE explain how taking pictures of a bus or train or light-rail vehicle constitutes a security threat?
The following article is in today's Daily News.
Read it.
Read it again.
And let's see if we all can put our heads together to try to convince the MTA (and other operating agencies across the USA) that their goals of protecting public transportation can be successfully achieved without penalizing law-abiding citizens who wish to continue pursuing their interest as they have been doing all along all these years and decades, without harm or inconvenience to anyone.
Photographing buses, trains, and LRVs for purely personal/hobbyist purposes does NOT pose a security threat. Never have. Never will.
New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
Subways get shutter bugged
By PETE DONOHUE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Friday, May 21st, 2004
Smiling will still be allowed on the subways, but - sorry, tourists - taking pictures may soon be banned.
Transit officials, at the request of police, yesterday proposed prohibiting photography and videotaping in the subway system and on buses - hoping to thwart terrorists from gathering information for an attack.
It's just one of several proposed revisions to the Transit Authority's Rules of Conduct that include these other hard-to-enforce no-nos:
Walking between subway cars.
Placing a foot on a subway seat, bus seat or a platform bench.
Wearing skates, standing on a skateboard or riding a scooter.
Violators could get slapped with tickets ranging from $25 to $100.
"The world we live in has changed dramatically," TA President Lawrence Reuter said as he announced the first proposed revision of the rules in a decade. "These changes are intended to enhance security and safety."
Some riders railed against the new rules, which must be approved by the full Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board.
"All that stuff is just common New York behavior," said Patrick DeShond, 18, a college student from Brooklyn. "I think the city is so desperate for money that this is what it's come to."
Others said some of the rule changes make sense - especially penalizing those who soil seats with dirty shoes.
John Erboso, 46, a messenger from Queens, supported a photo ban, saying it's hard to tell a tourist from a terrorist. "You don't know who to trust anymore," he said.
But Christopher Dunn, associate legal director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, called the photo ban "grossly excessive."
"There is no reason a tourist taking a snapshot in a subway car should be interrogated by the police or face the prospect of being taken into custody," he added.
NYPD Transportation Police Chief Michael Scagnelli said police would use discretion in issuing summonses to shutterbugs. But violators could be questioned and subjected to background checks, he said, and have their film confiscated.
The TA said exemptions would be granted to the press, and others who have obtained "written authorization" from the agency to snap pictures.
With Nick Lacher
Technically, this law would not affect bus photographers standing on a public street, but realistically you know that some MTA employees and probably some NYPD officers are not going to appreciate that distinction and will hassle those photographers just the same.
This kind of stuff makes me sick to my stomach. By changing our way of life, we are giving in to the terrorists. They are winning without firing a shot.
JD
The First Amendment protects freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to peacefully assemble, and the right to petition government for redress of grievances. That's all. The hobby of photographing public conveyances does not fit into any of those categories.
Today it's your right to photograph a vehicle or building. Tomorrow it's everything you've stated in your posting.
Wake up, people! The enemy is winning.
I am not in favor of banning photography of buses and trains, and I hope that MTA does not institute such a ban. However, I do not believe that our right to take such pictures is guaranteed by the constitution. I believe that if a transit agency wants to ban photography on or in its properties, it has every right to do so, just as any other property owner can. As to whether a transit agency has the right to restrict people from taking pictures OF its properties from OTHER vantage points.....that's an entirely different matter, and I'll leave that one to the legal experts.
I don't think they have the right to do so. That's the same as if I take a pic of a trash bin, do I need to obtain permission from the City?
http://www.aclu.org/
http://www.nyclu.org/
I personally feel bad for stopping a tourist who just arrived from overseas and whips out the videocamera because they never saw a busy highway , bridge or just want to catch the beautiful NYc skyline. My Bridge is the link from J.F.K to the north .Imagine how many people I see doing this daily . We try and be selective and just advise them no Bridges and get them on thier way , but the ones who give attitude,only passports or have no paperwork have to be checked .
You Never Know!!!!!!
I bought a book at the Strand for about $8 that has lovely photographs of the world's most famnous bridges, histories, specifications, and even reproductions of plans. A person taking a photograph of a bridge is not a security threat.
Utter stupidity. I'm sorry you have to work under such conditions and play the "bad guy" :(
The Transit Authority yesterday proposed a rule that would outlaw photographing, videotaping or filming inside the subway system for security purposes.
The proposed measures were immediately slammed by watchdog and civil rights groups.
Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, described the plan as "security run amok" that goes too far.
"It's excessive, its unenforceable, particularly with cell phone and pocket-sized digital cameras,"
Lieberman said. "It's incompatible with free access to information that's at the core of our democracy."
Exceptions to the ban include news photographers with Police Department credentials and others who seek advance written permission, such as movie companies.
Mark Groce, a spokesman for the Transit Authority, declined to comment on the First Amendment issues that the watchdog groups raised.
And what would happen to a tourist who wants a photo of the A train?
"If the new rules pass, they won't be allowed," Groce said.
Transit Authority president Lawrence Reuter said in a statement that the proposed rules are aimed at improving security for riders and Transit Authority employees. "The world we live in has changed dramatically..., so has our operating environment," Reuter said.
The proposed rules will undergo a 45-day public comment period. If passed, they would fall under other subway rules of conduct such as keeping one's feet off train seats or playing a radio.
Groce said it would be up to the Police Department to decide on a fine, summons or other punishment for violators.
Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign said that while he respects the city's effort to improve security, documenting life in the subway has been a New York thing.
"For decades, New Yorkers have been documenting subway life and subway conditions," Russianoff said.
Other rules proposed by the Transit Authority include banning people from walking between cars, and turnstile jumping, even if the passenger has a MetroCard.
Lieberman said that banning pictures may also be a way for the subway system to avoid scrutiny.
"This is an interference with the public right to know," Lieberman said. "Pictures are more powerful than words and the public needs to be able to have access to photography and videotapes of the subway in order to hold the city accountable for doing its job.
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.
"We're not gonna take it, we're not gonna take it, we're not gonna take it anymore!"
Da Hui
Da Hui
But seriously, very well said Ozzy.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
However remember the following:
1-The new policy still requires a public hearing
2- Pictures can be obtained with the permission of the TA. I am sure that any valid collector can easily obtain permission.
So may i suggest that we practice patience and do not jump to any conclusions as yet
Speaking for myself i do get suspicious when i see people taking pictures down in the subway
Thats my opinion
Thank You
Technically, this law would not affect bus photographers standing on a public street, but realistically you know that some MTA employees and probably some NYPD officers are not going to appreciate that distinction and will hassle those photographers just the same.
This kind of stuff makes me sick to my stomach. By changing our way of life, we are giving in to the terrorists. They are winning without firing a shot.
JD
The First Amendment protects freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to peacefully assemble, and the right to petition government for redress of grievances. That's all. The hobby of photographing public conveyances does not fit into any of those categories.
Today it's your right to photograph a vehicle or building. Tomorrow it's everything you've stated in your posting.
Wake up, people! The enemy is winning.
I am not in favor of banning photography of buses and trains, and I hope that MTA does not institute such a ban. However, I do not believe that our right to take such pictures is guaranteed by the constitution. I believe that if a transit agency wants to ban photography on or in its properties, it has every right to do so, just as any other property owner can. As to whether a transit agency has the right to restrict people from taking pictures OF its properties from OTHER vantage points.....that's an entirely different matter, and I'll leave that one to the legal experts.
I don't think they have the right to do so. That's the same as if I take a pic of a trash bin, do I need to obtain permission from the City?
http://www.aclu.org/
http://www.nyclu.org/
I personally feel bad for stopping a tourist who just arrived from overseas and whips out the videocamera because they never saw a busy highway , bridge or just want to catch the beautiful NYc skyline. My Bridge is the link from J.F.K to the north .Imagine how many people I see doing this daily . We try and be selective and just advise them no Bridges and get them on thier way , but the ones who give attitude,only passports or have no paperwork have to be checked .
You Never Know!!!!!!
I bought a book at the Strand for about $8 that has lovely photographs of the world's most famnous bridges, histories, specifications, and even reproductions of plans. A person taking a photograph of a bridge is not a security threat.
Utter stupidity. I'm sorry you have to work under such conditions and play the "bad guy" :(
Ray
One I would suggest is merging the M60, the Q48, and the Q34 into a special limited-service airlink bus. Beginning at the LIRR/Airtrain in Downtown Jamaica, it would run up to Downtown Flushing, to LaGuardia, and over to 125th Street and MetroNorth. With more service and fewer stops, it could provide better service to the airport for both subway and commuter rail riders, while also providing a link between Queens' major employment centers. With the Airtrain, JFK would be included as well.
Ray
The Transit Authority yesterday proposed a rule that would outlaw photographing, videotaping or filming inside the subway system for security purposes.
The proposed measures were immediately slammed by watchdog and civil rights groups.
Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, described the plan as "security run amok" that goes too far.
"It's excessive, its unenforceable, particularly with cell phone and pocket-sized digital cameras,"
Lieberman said. "It's incompatible with free access to information that's at the core of our democracy."
Exceptions to the ban include news photographers with Police Department credentials and others who seek advance written permission, such as movie companies.
Mark Groce, a spokesman for the Transit Authority, declined to comment on the First Amendment issues that the watchdog groups raised.
And what would happen to a tourist who wants a photo of the A train?
"If the new rules pass, they won't be allowed," Groce said.
Transit Authority president Lawrence Reuter said in a statement that the proposed rules are aimed at improving security for riders and Transit Authority employees. "The world we live in has changed dramatically..., so has our operating environment," Reuter said.
The proposed rules will undergo a 45-day public comment period. If passed, they would fall under other subway rules of conduct such as keeping one's feet off train seats or playing a radio.
Groce said it would be up to the Police Department to decide on a fine, summons or other punishment for violators.
Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign said that while he respects the city's effort to improve security, documenting life in the subway has been a New York thing.
"For decades, New Yorkers have been documenting subway life and subway conditions," Russianoff said.
Other rules proposed by the Transit Authority include banning people from walking between cars, and turnstile jumping, even if the passenger has a MetroCard.
Lieberman said that banning pictures may also be a way for the subway system to avoid scrutiny.
"This is an interference with the public right to know," Lieberman said. "Pictures are more powerful than words and the public needs to be able to have access to photography and videotapes of the subway in order to hold the city accountable for doing its job.
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.
"We're not gonna take it, we're not gonna take it, we're not gonna take it anymore!"
Da Hui
Da Hui
But seriously, very well said Ozzy.
-Ben Diamond (a.k.a. 4traintowoodlawn)
1) The limited going further than the local
EXAMPLE: B44
When limited service is operating, it goes to Sheepshead Bay, while the locals turn around at Avenue U. Therefore, in order to get from a local stop on the B44 route north of Avenue U to Sheepshead Bay, you have to somehow get a limited bus (and you don't want to miss one of those at the wrong time of day). Yes, the people in Sheepshead Bay are getting an easier time and a quicker ride, but not if you're going to a local stop. Even if every other or every third local ran to Sheepshead Bay, it would be much better. Transferring at Avenue U (I'm not even sure if it's free) just doesn't seem to be enough.
2) The limited not going as far as the local
EXAMPLE: S46/96
West Shore Plaza has nothing but long, local service to St. George, but you the limiteds help on